Toll of the Bells
by Keke5046
Summary: A small family of thieving con artists makes their way to the city of Paris. One of them finds herself questioning their methods of living as she meets someone who, unexpectedly, leads her to a better path. Is a life of trickery and crime gratifying enough to turn her away from the hope of freedom this new city can offer? Will her brother risk an important promise to let her go?
1. Soul of the City

Brief author's note: There is limited involvement with the HBOND characters, aside from Clopin. I'm a huge Clopin Trouillefu fan, so he's really one of the only characters mentioned aside from a few brief encounters with other ones. I also want to put it out there that there is LIMITED romantic involvement of Clopin and my OC's. I didn't want to disappoint anyone who expected a ff with a heavy romance involved.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the original lyrics, lines or characters in Disney's "Hunchback of Notre Dame" or Victor Hugo's novel of the same name, and I do not claim them as my creative property. I do, however, own the creative rights to the characters I made up (Anna Maria, Antonio, Georgio, Bull, Genevieve and minor characters of mine) so please do not steal them.

**Chapter 1**

**Soul of the City**

Anna Maria opened her eyes to the blinding sun greeting her after an uncomfortable nights' sleep. As bad as the headaches felt waking up this way, she was used to it by now. The sour after taste of wine scorched her tongue and acid burned in her belly. The sudden need of something to eat gnawed at her, but the need to vomit troubled her more. She went to pull herself up, and almost stumbled off of Genevieve's back. She heard her brothers laughing as she squinted forward.

"Rough night, Princess?" Antonio, her oldest brother, laughed. Technically, Antonio was her only blood brother in their group of four. He pulled the reins of Genevieve, their white horse, with his long, tan, muscular arms. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and dark goatee. "Remember the next time you wake up, horses move."

"Well I wouldn't have almost fallen if I wasn't placed on a horse in the first place," she said rubbing her eyes and her stomach.

"You probably would have awoken in time," said Bull, through crooked teeth "if you didn't drink yourself to sleep last night. All of our wine…gone." He scoffed. He took his hat off of his bald head and, also, wiped the sweat from it. He reached into the pocket of his bagging trousers and threw half a baguette her way. She caught it, and bit into it eagerly.

"I didn't know we were on a schedule," She said smartly.

"The plan was to get to Paris by night fall…tonight's night fall," Antonio said angrily "but I wouldn't expect your drunken ass to remember that."

"I scored you double what you expected last night, didn't I?" she teased. "I'm entitled to a celebration."

"A celebration like yours is worth quadruple." Bull laughed, tucking his tunic back over his large belly. "Who'd you screw to get that much, anyway?"

"You know that's not how I earn my share," she teased dusting crumbs off of her dress, "even if it IS how you earn yours." Antonio laughed loudly as he tugged Genevieve's rope further. "How much farther, anyway?"

"If we keep on at the pace we are going we could be in Paris by evening." Georgio said examining a large map. "But we are expecting to have to stop, of course so you can puke and handle whatever else you'll need to handle today, Princess." He said adjusting the black gloves he wore on his stubby hands.

"Stop treating me like a child, I do my fair share of work around here." she said fluffing her hair out.

"Except for walking," Antonio scoffed.

"I'm the lady," she said playfully crossing her arms. "And if you were all gentlemen you'd be happy to take me to Paris without walking." She felt a kick in her back and she fell off the horse and onto the ground.

"We're FAR from gentlemen!" Bull laughed as they all took a minute to chuckle at her surprise. Antonio offered his sister a hand.

"Figured I'd help you beat the hangover," he giggled. Anna Maria slapped him on his face and got back on the horse. As cute as her brother's tricks were years ago, she was going on 22 years old and ready to be away from their little band of miscreants. She knew, however, she wouldn't last a week without their help and muscle…at least not until they arrived in Paris. According to rumors, the death of their recent minister and man in charge left laws in the city slack for the past few weeks. Freedom and equality among peasants and all walks of life was spreading for the time being, and a place like that could mean something big for a girl like her.

The thoughts of wanting to leave her brothers always racked her with guilt, but the sting of being laughed at after she was kicked off of the horse was getting in the way of her conscience. She also knew deep down inside how much her brother cared about her, and all the things he'd done to keep her safe. He loved her too much, in fact, and was very hell bent on them sticking together. With their past, it was only fair he felt this way, too. Anna Maria positioned herself comfortably on the horse's back.

"Genevieve," she sighed "the only one around here who really gets me."

"Because she's a woman, too." Laughed Antonio, and the other two echoed his laughter.

As the sun set, Georgio's estimation was correct. Not only had they arrived to Paris by afternoon, but they could hear the famous bells of the cathedral of Notre Dame ringing for the evening mass. The city was just as Anna Maria had expected it to be; full of beggars, peasants, street performers and taverns. The religious figures scattered about gave her an uneasy feeling, but who was she that they'd concern themselves with her? She had finally come to find the city she'd long awaited to see.

"What a dump," Antonio said peering through the crowded streets. "But it's almost a guarantee no one here will recognize us."

"No one here looks on the…wiser side," Bull said as three tan, dirty men were kicked by their behinds out of a bustling tavern.

"We should blend right in," Anna Maria smiled. "Where to go from here, though?" she asked.

"Beats me," Antonio shrugged as Anna Maria jumped off Genevieve. "There's gotta be somewhere we can afford."

"After what I got us last night," Anna Maria said pulling an apple sneakily off of a closing market cart, "we could dine with kings." She slid the apple into the black shawl tied around her waist.

To the group's dismay, a lot of the small inns were full. It turned out to be the day before "one of the biggest festivals of the year," as so many inn keepers told them, and they were "crazy to think there'd be space left at this hour." Eventually, they found a small, shithole barn house with a small family inn next to it. For a fair price, they could be boxed in together next to the horse stables. The room did, however, overlook a promising view of the city's lake of sewage.

"Real nice idea coming here this time of the year," Antonio pushed his sister into the room. She stumbled toward the bed and kicked him.

"How was I supposed to know?" she dusted herself off. "Besides, the bigger the festival, the bigger the change that _falls _out of the pockets of the unprepared and unaware." She took a pillow up from the bed and made herself comfortable.

"And what makes you think you're getting the bed?" Antonio smirked, jumping onto the bed and bouncing her off the other side.

"I got us the money to travel here, AND the money to stay here. That's what!"

"Yea you got us a smelly room next to pooping animals and the city's sewer," Bull picked her up easily and set her on the floor. He threw a pillow and blanket over top of her.

"You're lucky we don't make you sleep outside." Antonio yawned settling himself into bed.

Anna Maria looked outside the window by her spot on the floor. She could see, past the sewage lake, brightly colored tents and ribbons lining the square of the town in the moonlight. Right past them was the famously large Cathedral of Notre Dame. The bells pealed through the night. The knells of the chiming bells glistened against the starry sky.

She looked up at the moon, the same moon that looked over them every night they traveled from city to city. It was the same moon she'd see the day they decided to leave Paris. Something pinched her heart differently, though, tonight. As she lay back and placed her head against her pillow and stroked the dark hair on her own head, she wondered if this familiar sight of the moon would possibly stay with her for a longer time in this promising city.


	2. Topsy Turvy

**Chapter 2**

**Topsy Turvy**

Anna Maria awoke to the chattering of people outside and the pungent smell of fresh cow manure creeping past the thin walls of their room. The chill in the air and the fading darkness outside told her it was still early in the morning. She sat up carefully, looking around the room. Bull and Antonio were humorously snuggled together in bed. Antonio's snoring practically rustled the jelly of Bull's tummy. Georgio was quietly twisted into a chair in the corner of the room. She shivered a bit and debated falling back to sleep blanketed in the cool of the morning. She snuggled back into her covers, but realized sleep was failing her.

She quietly rose up. She fluffed her dark, wavy hair up and fixed it to her liking from what she could see in the darkness of the small mirror on the wall. She made sure her golden hoop earrings were visible before her hair. She gave the top of her dress a quick pull to expose the slightest bit of cleavage. She grabbed her tan slippers and her blue shawl and tip toed to the door. She slowly creaked it shut and took off down the hall way of the inn.

"Hey, girl," she said approaching a wide awake Genevieve in the stable behind the inn. She patted her on the head. Genevieve rustled her nostrils and blinked excitedly at her touch. "I know you saw me grab this yesterday," she whispered grabbing the apple out of her black sash. Now slightly bruised but still red, she tossed it toward Genevieve's mouth. Genevieve snapped at it and gulped it down instantly. She licked her lips and neighed softly.

Anna Maria unfastened Genevieve's rope from the gate of the stable. She opened the gate and jumped on Genevieve's back. She clicked her heel softly on Genevieve's side. Genevieve began to trample slowly past the front porch of the inn and to the town. "Let's see how much fun we can have without those boys around, shall we?"

Anna Maria and Genevieve had circled through the town until the sun was high up in the sky. She was already in love with the bustling city. The longer the day went on, the more anxious she grew for the festivities to begin. It was still early morning and she already collected a day's wages of hustling men in dice, cards and chess.

"Mornings like these," Anna Maria said to Genevieve counting her earnings, "are why I love festivals." She looked up as they, finally, approached the square which seemed to be at the center of the festival. She looked around at the booths and tents housing the colorful signs, ribbons and costumed fools prancing around. It all brought a smile to her face that she couldn't contain. She noticed wooden signs and banners displaying "Festum Fatuorum" were being hoisted high in the sky. She realized it may be time for some of the festivities to begin. It must have been late in the morning.

Anna Maria quickly jumped on Genevieve's back to get back to the inn. She felt someone grab her hand.

"Where are you scurrying off to, mon cheri?" said a tall man in a yellow mask. He kissed her hand. She was flattered, but smarter than that.

"Away from you," she smiled and motioned Genevieve to hurry forward. As they took off, she heard the man yell.

"A face like that is worthy to be crowned the QUEEN of fools!" he laughed, obviously embarrassed by her rejection. She giggled as she and Genevieve hurried back to the inn, wondering what the man meant.

Anna Maria and the boys returned to the festival later that morning without Genevieve. By then, things were beginning to pick up as they picked the pockets of the unsuspecting drunkards who already were roaming the streets. The sights of the people scurrying around, some in costume, being "topsy turvy" and backwards was more than enough to set them at ease. Anna Maria was fascinated by the whole thing.

"Just last night we were worried about safely passing through to Paris," Antonio said stuffing more money into his sash, "and now we're here celebrating the Festival of Fools!"

"And what a festival it is," laughed Georgio

"And what fools they are!" cried Bull as the brothers laughed excitedly.

"What fools indeed!" exclaimed a high pitched voice behind them. Anna Maria turned around. The rest of her brothers followed to see a tall gentleman in, yet, another colorful outfit. He hopped high and used the heads of Antonio and Bull to hoist himself onto a stage in the middle of the square. He stood for a second in his yellow and purple tights and funny shoes. His nose was pointy, his hair was dark and what was visible of his skin was tan and smooth. His gold earring glistened like the white of his teeth in the high sun as he began to cartwheel and sing rapidly.

"Someone's a morning person," Anna Maria laughed as he sang about the festival.

"What a gracious host," Bull laughed. He held up a golden coin he managed to take from the pocket of the tall jester. The three boys , the slinky jester made his way back over.

"Every man's a king and every king's a clown," he sang and shoved a white, foamy pie into Bull's face. In the same motion he stole back the coin and flipped it in his fingers. He stuck a cherry on Bull's nose as he continued to sing, "Once again, it's Topsy Turvy Day!"

Anna Maria laughed. Bull wiped the pie from his face and went after the jester. But he was one step ahead of him.

"It's the day the devil in us get's released!" he sang as he released a cage of goats that ran into and over top of Bull's chubby belly.

"I'm gonna kill him!" Bull yelled knocking the goats off of him and stirring up.

"It's the day we mock the prig and shock the priest!" He said pushing Bull. Bull tumbled forward, landing under a dark, tall robe of a man on stilts. The man then tripped and fell, covering Bull with the long, black robe. Anna Maria and the boys were falling over in laughter.

"Everything," he sang as he burst into a series of inhuman cartwheels, "is Topsy Turvy at the Feast of Fools!" He landed back on the stage as the crowd burst into applause, chanting "Topsy Turvy!"

The group, still laughing, went to help Bull out.

"No use going after him, anymore Bull." Antonio chuckled as Bull fumed. "You're bound to get yourself killed."


	3. King of Fools

**Chapter 3**

**King of Fools**

As the festival continued, the jester managed to pie, jump on, kick, and abuse playfully dozens of other men in the crowd to everyone else's amusement. All the while, singing the anthem of the Festival of Fools. As he approached the stage once more, he welcomed a tribe of dancing gypsies. The beautiful women, taunting the crowds with their hips and breasts, coyly distracted the men. And while they were distracted, the jester managed to hit on more than half of the female population in the crowd.

In the midst of his enticing, he approached Anna Maria.

"No thanks, clown." She laughed holding a hand to him.

"Come, mon Cheri, no one is looking." He winked toward her brothers, their faces and tongues toward the stage of beautiful women. "You're good at operating under distracted eyes," he said placing a hand on her shoulder.

"What makes you say that?" she said, caught off guard by his comment. She shoved his hand off of her shoulder.

"I'm not as much a fool as I seem," he said smiling, "but really," he said whispering in her ear he motioned her closer. "It just so happens," he whispered. She listened in closer as his warm breath circled her ear. "Everyone's a fool today!" a small, but loud voice behind her startled her. She looked to see the man had a small, replica of himself; a puppet taunting her.

"You're insane!" she exclaimed as he laughed. He did a back flip and landed himself right on the top of the stage.

"And now, ladies and gentleman," he yelled as the women collected around him, "the piece de resistance!"

"This is getting good," Antonio said.

"Yea put your tongue back in your mouth," Anna Marie slapped him on his back.

"Here it is, the moment you've been waiting for! Here it is; you know exactly what's in store!"

"Is this the same thing every year?" Anna Maria asked.

"I mean, it's a festival." Georgio exclaimed "most peasant festivals like this are for"

"Not in the mood for a history lesson, Georgio." Anna Maria rolled her eyes.

"Now's the time, we crown the King of Fools!" the jester exclaimed. "Let's welcome our finest king yet, last year's second running Quasimodo, the Bell Ringer of Notre Dame!" The jester welcomed a horrific, hunchbacked, short muscular man onto the stage. The crowd burst into applause as everyone cheered.

"Yikes!" Bull exclaimed biting into a turkey leg he snatched from a drunken man. "He's the King of Fools?"

"Does that shock you?" Anna Maria laughed. "If he's crowned by him…" she motioned to the jester.

"But he's not; he's crowned by the people!" Georgio said, "He's picked by them, he just said it."

As dozens of men lined up at the stage, Bull laughed. He went up to join the line.

"Bull where are you going?" Anna Maria asked astonished.

"What could it hurt?" he asked, throwing the bone of the turkey leg to his left, "I'm way better looking than that guy!" he laughed as he pushed his way to the middle of the line.

"I think the part you're all missing is they want an ugly person as their king. That's the whole point." Georgio exclaimed.

"Well then," Anna Marie laughed, "he's got a better chance than he thinks."

The beautiful women on stage removed the masks of the men who wore them and presented the plain faces of those who didn't. Contestant after contestant was booed off the stage.

"What's the winner get?" Antonio asked.

"I would guess a crown and probably some kind of prize," Georgio answered fascinated by the spectacle.

"And the standing reputation of 'The King of Fools'," Anna Marie said chuckling.

As the line brought Bull closer and closer, the jester approached him.

"Well, well," he said to Bull quietly as they inched closer to the judging women, "the man with the sticky fingers. You certainly are a fool, but I can't say you'd make it to be the king."

"I'll show you a king," Bull said approaching the women, "you just wait." Bull stood proudly in front of the crowd, but was booed just like all the others. Rather than being thrown by the women, the jester shoved a big, sparkly purple sack over top Bull's head and kicked him into a mud pile himself.

"Maybe not our king," The jester exclaimed, "but closest we can get to a runner up!" he clapped as the audience laughed.

Bull rose from the puddle beyond furious. As the contestants were booed, Quasimodo was welcomed back to the stage with applause and crowned for the third year in a row, the King of Fools. Just as the jester grabbed a banner to swing down from the stage and lead the parade, Bull grabbed his leg and weighed him down. Both of the men went swinging across the front of the parade, crashing into one of the tents behind the stage. The jester somersaulted out of the tent, unharmed.

"Don't take it personally, big guy!" he yelled as Bull stumbled out of the tent covered in various sauces and foods. "Today, everyone's a fool!" Bull collected himself and grabbed the jester by his neck. The jester released a fist of red powder that, once hitting the ground, turned into an explosion of red smoke. When the smoke cleared, Bull was alone ringing the neck of no one.

"What the…" Bull looked around and the jester was nowhere to be found.

"Like I said before," Antonio said as the others met with him, "you'll probably die before getting revenge on a guy like that."

"You'll only make it worse provoking him," Georgio said wiping some of the food off the top of Bull's head.

"Well that idiot better hope I don't see him on the streets," Bull said angrily. He led the group to the outskirts of the square as they headed for the inn. Anna Maria, feeling much too restless to go back, snuck off behind them. With a sash full of money, she eyed up which tavern would serve her the cheapest glass of wine, or several.


	4. Wine, Women and Song

**Chapter 4**

**Wine, Women, Song**

"Read 'em and weep, fellas!" Anna Maria screamed throwing her deck of cards on the table. An outburst of "No ways" and "Impossible" with the occasional "Bitch" and "Whore" roared in the small tavern. Dozens of men gathered around the three players seated at the small wooden table of the dimly lit room. The smell of sweat, dirt and whiskey exuded from the pub. Anna Maria scooped her winnings into her pile which was sufficiently bulkier than the others'. One man was out. It was down to Anna Maria and her last opponent.

"Pure talent, boys." She slurred as she took a swig of the last bit of ale in her cup. She banged the cup on the table. "Bar maid!" she yelled. A man with a pitcher of ale and a bottle of wine on a tray refilled her cup. She handed him a generous handful of coins. "That's all yours to keep if you don't cut me off. The drunker I get, the better I win!" she laughed behind hiccups and slurred words.

The bell of the door chimed as a tall stranger and a few more men behind him entered the bar. The men gathered around the crowd. The stranger, donning a dark blue cloak, went to the bar. He sat there for a few moments while the bar maids and bar tenders were gathered around the last dealing of cards in the game. Anna Maria's winnings all rested on this last hand. The mood was tense.

The stranger hammered the bar. "Service around here, please?" he cleared his throat. One of the busty, blonde women came to serve him.

"Bonjour, monsieur!" She said hurrying. "What would you like?"

"What I usually have," he said pulling his cloak down. "What's with the hold?"

"A woman over there," she said pouring ale in his glass, "has beaten about a dozen men for…well a year's wages of money. She's very good."

"Cheating?" he asked taking a gulp from the cup.

"No, no, monsieur," she assured him leaving the pitcher. He gave her two coins to pay for the pitcher. "After she beat the first round, we got a new deck of cards and Jean Paul's been dealing for them. It's a miracle. She's just very good. Out of everything, she's lost only 3 hands."

"Lucky girl," he said looking over. "Au revoir, maybe you should get back over there."

"Oui, oui." She said hurrying back to the game.

"Nervous, lad?" Anna Maria said mocking the man's Irish accent. The crowd laughed and roared. Her opponent wiped the sweat from his brow. His face was mean, and his eyes were on his cards.

"Lady's first," she grinned and motioned for him to lay his hand down. Everyone laughed again. Knowing exactly what to expect, he showed his hand to the crowd. A series of oohs and "uh ohs" echoed through the room and the mood grew quiet. His hand was good. Anna Maria's face dropped. Through dilated pupils and a flushed face, she showed a look of grief and agitation. The musicians stopped playing; every eye was on her, including the eye of the stranger at the bar.

"Well," she said somberly "I guess…every champion's streak must come to an end…" she folded her hand toward herself. Everyone quietly looked at her, then at the opponent's hands. The man smiled widely at her depressive demeanor.

"MINE DOESN'T END TONIGHT!" she yelled slamming all four aces of the deck down on top of the table. Everyone cheered and the musicians continued to play their jolly music. People laughed and danced and celebrated the victory of the underdog newcomer.

"Good game, boys." She said collecting the money shakily. She stuffed about 90% into her sash. "This is for being such great sports," she slurred dividing the remaining, a decent amount, and giving it to each of her latest opponents. They laughed, truly imitating good sportsmanship.

Anna Maria got up and grabbed her blue shawl. She stumbled to the door, chugging the last bit of her drink down. She placed the cup in the hands of a bar maid and fell to her knees. Laughing at herself, she rose. "Happy Feast of Fools!" she exclaimed leaving the bar.

The stranger at the bar laughed and finished off his own pitcher rather quickly. But luckily, he noticed out of the corner of his eye the group of men sitting near him. They watched through the open windows of the tavern the girl stumbling toward the alley way down the street. After a few seconds of discussion, the men finished their drinks, tipped the bar maids and hurried out of the door.

"Odd…" said the man. After a few moments of waiting, he followed behind the group of men from a distance. To his dismay, they did seem to be following the girl. Luckily, he knew most of them by face. They would be sure to recognize his as well.

Anna Maria stumbled through the dimly lit alley way, change shaking in her pocket. The sensible part of her knew walking this late with that much money was a bad idea, definitely. But that sensible side was drowned in gallons of whiskey, ale and wine. She sang and mumbled to herself as she tried to remember which way would lead her back to the inn.

"Luck for you," said a voice behind her, "we're all here to help you head in the right direction." She squinted and sighed. She knew exactly the mess she'd gotten herself into.

"Boys, boys." She said turning around sloppily. "I'd be upset, too if I lost most of my money tonight. But hey!" she said approaching them. "It's the Feast of Fools! Don't take it personally!"

"We're not boys," one of the men said lunging forward and grabbing her arm. She yelped loudly. Another one snuck behind her and held her mouth so she couldn't scream. "We're men. And you, girl, need to learn how to act around men."

"Yeah," the others surrounded her in agreement.

"And maybe you all," a voice came upon the group "should learn just how to behave in the presence of a lady." The slender, tall, cloaked stranger from the bar confronted the group. Anna Maria let out a muffled cry for help.

"Who's teaching us manners, peasant?" scoffed one of the gentleman. The man confronting them pulled the cloak down from his face. At the sight of his peering eyes, they all let go of Anna Maria. She dropped to the ground and coughed, taking in air as if she'd never take it for granted again.

"Clopin!" one of the men exclaimed. They all straightened up.

"What are you boys doing off duty, anyway?" he asked approaching them.

"Feast of fools," said one of the men.

"It certainly is," Clopin stroked his chin. "Go back to the court while I'm feeling generous. You all know better. Good sportsmanship is the mark of a gentleman." He laughed. As the men scurried, he and Anna Maria were left in the alley way. She went to get up, but the shock and alcohol hit her too fast.

"May I help you, madamoiselle?" he asked offering a hand.

"No." she said angrily hoisting herself up. It took her a moment, but she planted herself onto her feet. She leaned against the wall.

"Where is it you're heading?" he asked approaching her. She held a hand up to stop him from coming closer.

"I don't need any" then she looked at him. Squinting, she approached him. "Hey…I know you," she slurred. He caught the stench of alcohol in her breath seeping through her lips.

"Oh, do you?" he said recognizing her in an instant from that morning. He laughed.

"Yeah!" she said. An unexpected, stinging blow to his face cocked his head to the side. His mouth dropped in shock. "You're the ass who called me ugly today!" she said. She went to hit him again. This time, he caught her wrist.

"Is this any way for a lady to be showing gratitude to the 'ass' who just saved hers?" he asked. She yanked her hand away.

"I'm not a lady," she mumbled stumbling backward. She tripped, but he pulled her back by the sash around her waist before she fell.

"That would have been a nasty fall," he exclaimed straightening her up. "I probably saved your ass a second time, there." He said folding his hands. "And I never called you ugly, today." He said confused.

"Yea, yea." She said turning around heading to the end of the alley.

"Well, au revoir then." He said making ready to leave. Anna Maria stopped at the end of the alley. She had no idea which way to go. Tonight's events were much too…eventful. She dropped down to her knees in disapproval, discouraged by her drunkenness and confusion. Clopin noticed her state. He sighed. "Damn the conscience that's left in me," he mumbled walking toward her.

"My dear, I don't believe you'd need help finding where to go?" he asked approaching her. She waved her hand.

"Shoo!" she said going from her knees down to a sitting position. "I just need to…" she trailed off and hiccupped. "…to rest for a second. I'm very drunk right now." She clutched her hair with her hands.

"Couldn't tell…" Clopin said to himself. "Do you know where it is you're headed?" he asked rolling his eyes.

"I'm not from here." She mumbled. She began to drop down on the cobble stone floor of the alley. Clopin grabbed her arm and dragged her upward.

"I wouldn't choose this spot to make camp," he said pulling her dead weight up as much as he could. She let out a painful moan and clutched her head as she staggered to a standing position.

"It hurts to think!" she exclaimed beginning to lean sideways into another fall. Clopin hurriedly caught her again.

"Lord," he exclaimed as all of her weight fell on him. "I have a mind to leave you here, passed out." He said growing agitated.

"Then do it!" she groaned. After seconds of debating it, he scooped her up and threw her limp body over his left shoulder. "Ow!" she yelled.

He began walking to the end of alley way, balancing her over his shoulder. "You're welcome, mademoiselle."


	5. Hellfire

**Chapter 5  
Hellfire**

Anna Maria's face and eyes seem to pound as she blinked repeatedly to gain a better perspective of her surroundings. As she still saw dark blotches, she tried to remember as much as she could…to no avail.

The familiar sour taste of day old alcohol lingered in her mouth. The dancing of acid and fire in her stomach and chest scorched her every move. She curled into a ball and pulled the blanket over her head as she tried to remember where she was.

She finally brought herself to sit up after moments of suffering the intensive pain of the worst hang over she'd had in a long time. As her vision began to come together, she looked around, turning her head slowly as to not stir her headache anymore. She squinted at the bright and colorful surroundings of her current location. She was surrounded by brightly colored, striped fabric. She was in a tent of some kind…this reminded her of the first thing she could remember from the day before.

_The festival._

She had left her brothers at the end of the festival…to drink, no doubt. Her stomach still pained her. As she leaned forward, the incredulous amount of change and money in her sash jingled and ruffled. She must have done very well. She slowly looked down at the stash of money. She didn't even want to think about how much she had earned. She buried her face in her hands and grimaced as the unavoidable feeling of puking lurched upon her. She managed to hold it off.

"Bonjour, mon ami!" exclaimed a loud, high pitched voice. At the piercing sound of the cry, the echoing of it against her painful headache almost made the vomit lurch up again. The hellfire in her stomach threatened to escape onto the blanket she was under. She gagged it back down and coughed as the acid stung her throat. She dropped her head into her knees and whined.

"Not a morning person, I presume?" the man laughed swiftly entering the tent. She mumbled something with her head still buried into her legs, her hands stroking the back of her head.

"Pardon?" asked the now familiar voice.

"Where am I?" she mustered out of her burning throat. "And how do I get out?"

"You can surely, walk, mon cheri." He chuckled "if you are able. But do not ask me to carry you, again…I beg you." He said rubbing his shoulder. "You are much taller than you appear."

"Carry?" she asked rubbing her brow.

"You look a little too green to remember," he laughed. "Lucky for you, I was generous last night."

At this, her eyes widened. "Oh no!" she exclaimed falling backwards. "Did I really"

"No no no!" he exclaimed waving his hands. "Not at all what I meant, my dear." He shook his head. "Poor choice of words on my part."

"Well…" she rubbed her temple, "Hey wait, why not?" she asked offended.

"You didn't even make the trip!" he laughed. "Will I be seeing you off?" he asked changing the subject.

"I suppose," she said trying to pick herself up. She gripped her stomach as the room began to spin. "Oh Lord," she exclaimed gathering herself. "What is the hour?" she asked dreading the answer.

"Still very early," the man said offering his shoulder to lean on. She waved him away and walked on her own. "Not too many people are awake right now. You can probably save what shred of dignity you have and get home before the sun's up."

"Dignity?" she said puzzled as he lead her through the exit. Unfortunately, she was too much in a stupor of pain and left over drunkenness to realize the sights around her. All she could do was follow the strange man away from whatever part of town they were in and back to the inn to rest.

The man saw her off to the end of a small, smelly tunnel and she recognized enough from there to head across a small bridge over the lake of sewage. Directly across the bridge, she caught the sight of Genevieve resting in a stable with a few pigs and two cows. It must have been very early, still, if the farmers and animals weren't even awake yet. The approaching smell of animals and manure triggered the vomit up from her stomach and right into the water beside the bridge. When she was through, she picked herself up and stumbled over to the inn, feeling relieved and exhausted.

She entered the room of the inn with no trouble. Everything was unlocked. She was greeted with the familiar sight of her brothers sound asleep and snoring in the same manner she had left them the morning before.

She collapsed on the small spot she slept in last night. As relieved as she felt from puking, she could finally afford to piece some mysteries of her night together. Of all the pieces, one thing stuck out.

_That man._

She remembered the man who had stopped the group from possibly killing her, jumping her, raping her…whatever fate she could have succumbed to. Not only did he save her, he gave her a place to stay and recover from her drunken stupor. He may have saved her from getting into more trouble. She thought of all the trouble she'd almost gotten into before. She could have gotten out of it without him and found herself back to the inn…couldn't she? This last question pestered her until she fell back to sleep.


	6. Just an Outcast

**Author's Note: Don't mean to interrupt the reading (if there is any) but I noticed some traffic on this story. I appreciate all of you reading. I'd also appreciate reviews; be them good or bad/critiquing, I've worked super hard on this story. I hope it shows. And, most important, I hope you're all enjoying this. If you wouldn't mind, reviews on how it is going would be much appreciated. Thank you all again.**

**Chapter 6**

Just an Outcast

Anna Maria was awoken to the sound of her brothers yelling. They were all standing over top of her. Antonio patted her face, but she couldn't bring herself to get up. She was much too exhausted. Suddenly, a cold, soaking wetness drenched over top of her. The sensation of pins and needles hitting her face caused her to stir upward and collapse right back down onto the floor. She coughed as some of the cold, icy liquid scurried down her throat and into her nose as well.

"Hell, Antonio!" she cried coughing and spitting. Her hair was drenched as well as the top of her dress and arms. Her pillow was also soaked. She jumped up drowsily as her brothers laughed around her. "What was that for?"

"Disappearing into the night," Antonio said putting a basin down on the floor next to her. "A little cold water should serve as a lesson."

"Lesson for what? Celebrating and having fun?" She exclaimed rubbing her eyes and wringing her hair.

"I've told you over and over," he said, conviction shaking in his voice "about sneaking off into strange cities and not telling anyone. How were we to know where you'd gone?"

"It's not like you came looking for me…and every city is strange to us!" she said going to the mirror. Her hair was a drenched, ratty mess of dark, wet knots. "We never stay for long so…why not try and live a little? You don't have to watch me like a hawk anymore, brother." She said angrily trying to fix her hair. "I'm not 10, I am 21."

"You're still my sister," Antonio said approaching her. "And who else is going to look after you if I'm not there? What if something happened to you yesterday? How many times do we have to have these conversations? Why can't you just stay with us?"

"Because when I stay with you," she said flipping her wet hair onto them, "I end up soaking wet or kicked off a horse or something childish. I'm not your punching bag, Antonio. I'm your sister. And you are NOT my father! I can handle myself just fine!" Antonio turned rapidly toward his sister.

"Well, we have no father to look after us so we look after each other!" he yelled.

"Maybe it's best I look after myself, Antonio. I'm a woman…an adult. Why can't it be…different?"

"You…" Antonio said more quietly, his voice trembling. "You don't want to stay with us anymore?"

"Antonio it's not that," she said, years and years of independence, angst and longing behind each carefully chosen word. "I just…why can't we just…stay somewhere? Why must I travel city to city?"

"Because people in cities grow violent when you take their money,"

"Do we have to take their money? Why not…work?"

"You've never worked a day in your life, Princess." Bull interrupted their conversation. "You only know how to steal and trick."

"And drink," Georgio laughed.

"And a living like that doesn't earn you a home." Bull finished.

"Don't you like it?" Antonio said putting an arm around his sister, "Always a new city; always an adventure?"

"I do," she admitted, "But…I just am tired of running. Why not…stay?" She pulled the money from her sash and placed it all on the bed. "I have so much. We don't have to go so quickly." She begged. The boys stared, jaws dropping from the stash of money.

"Maybe you _can_ make a living from this…" Georgio said clearing his throat.

"I can either keep that money while you all leave a few days from now," she said beginning to sort the coins, "or we can all keep it and just…relax." She said crossing her arms. The boys went over to the money, all taking hand fulls of the coins and letting them run through their fingers.

"Then…we stay longer here in Paris." Antonio said sitting on the bed. Anna Maria scooped up a handful of money, stuffed it in her sash and headed for the door.

"Where are you going now?" Antonio exclaimed.

"To dry off!" she said slamming the door shut.

…

Anna Maria twirled her hair, now dry and soft from the peaking sun, looked down at the lake of sewage under the bridge. She hadn't gone far from the inn. As much as she hoped to break free, she could never stay far from her brother. As trapped as she felt sticking by his side, he and her two make shift brothers were all she had looking after her. She wrapped her shawl tight around her shoulders and began to walk toward the city.

Pondering her options, Anna Maria looked around at the townspeople. She longingly watched as they did their chores, sold their goods, pulled their horses. Mothers were tending to children. Men pulled and sold goods at stands. Even the street performers, crowding each corner, had their place in the city of Paris. Their routines, their rituals, their places…all things Anna Maria longed for. Something to keep her planted, people to just see her regularly. Even the beggars on the street were recognized by passersby and given some trinket to go off of. They didn't have to steal, they didn't have to con. All they had to was…live.

The bells of the Cathedral of Notre Dame began to chime. They enveloped her every move, filling her ears and heart with a longing to stay. She could easily see herself waking to those bells every morning and sleeping to their soft chimes at night. Each chime warmed her with a feeling of solidarity and familiarity; the feeling she had when she first stepped into the city.

She took a gold coin from her sash and dropped it into the hat of a lame beggar. He nodded toward her in thanks. She waved as she passed him. Even to be in his place and stay on the streets of the city for years, listening to those bells all her days, would be better than stealing, conning and running all her life.

As she turned the corner, she saw in the distance a colorful stand covered in fabric. The fabrics held marvelous and glittering shapes all over that glistened in the peaking sun. As she walked closer, she noticed the crowd. Dozens of children surrounded the spectacle, their eyes aglow. A few adults, too, lingered near and watched and giggled at the box of wonder.

She walked around to see what the children were staring at. The box contained two arms leaping around with puppets on each hand. The puppets were held together by visible stitching and ratty fabric. They looked homemade, which added to the warmth of the show. Two long, skinny arms moved the puppets swiftly, giving them a life that fascinated even Anna Maria. As quickly as these two puppets were there, they vanished and two different ones appeared in their place. A series of changing voices and the lively hands carried the show on.

"And then the boy called to the baker,  
'OH MY A WOLF!'" said the hands, imitating a series of different voices.  
"The baker ran swiftly to save the boy, only to find him chuckling and joking.  
'I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU BOUGHT THAT!'  
'WRETCHED LITTLE BOY'" and again, the puppets disappeared. Now the hands held paper trees. "And so one night," the voice said "when the boy was alone in the wood, he happened upon…" he paused and swiftly switched the trees for the little boy puppet and a fuzzy dog puppet.

"A WOLF!" the children cried in scattered voices and gasps.

"He ran to the towns people screaming 'OH NO A WOLF HE WILL EAT ME ALIVE' but of course; would you believe the boy who cried 'WOLF' four times already?"

"No!" the children exclaimed.

"So the boy ran," the voice said dramatically chasing the boy puppet with the dog puppet, "and ran and ran and ran. The wolf chased him all the way to the village, only for him to discover it was just an over grown puppy dog. And the townspeople laughed and laughed at him." He now had a series of townspeople puppets on each finger, all laughing at the boy. The children arose in a fit of laughter and giggling.

"That's not how the story goes!" exclaimed a little girl in the front. To Anna Maria's surprise, a familiar figure rose from the cart and looked down at the little girl.

"It's not!" said the man, masked in a purple mask and multi colored jester outfit Anna Maria quickly recognized. "Maybe you should make some puppets and give it a try then!" he said handing the girl the small dog. "My point was made without the morbid, violent ending; don't lie and don't cry wolf!" he turned to the adults standing to the far side of the cart. "Agreed?" he called to them. The parents, too, chuckled at this twist in the tale. The children applauded, as did some of the parents.

He turned forward to give a bow, when his eyes met the equally surprised, widened ones of Anna Maria standing only a few feet behind the gathering of children. After a brief lock on each other, Anna Maria recognized him despite his mask. She examined his pointy nose, his dark skin and hair, the same gold earring and his lanky, tall figure. If those things weren't enough, his smile was unmistakable. The puppeteer was also the stranger who rescued Anna Maria that previous night.

He continued to bow, showing admiration for his honored guests. As the children began to disperse, a few parents came and tossed some coins in a small basin sitting on the cart.

"Bonjour, mademoiselle!" he said when they were finally alone.

"Hello," she replied looking at the cart. "Is this…" she examined it, looking behind him at the fifty something puppets aligned on a shelf. "this is all yours?" she asked astonished.

"Oui," he said as he began collecting everything. "…made all of it myself. What brings you to this part of the city?"

"Wandering mostly," she replied, still a little surprised by the sight. "Do you…do this often?" she asked.

"Every day," he said as he jumped out of the small cart. All of the puppets and curtains were now in a small satchel hanging on his shoulder. He quickly shut the doors of the cart and folded the whole thing into a nice, neat wooden box about half his size. She was amazed. "It's pretty mobile and easy to get around." He said lifting it up.

"But…" she was still amazed at this trick, "it was…huge."

"Never heard that before…" he winked. She nudged him in the arm. "I have a lot of tricks up my sleeve, cheri."

"So by day you entertain the children of Paris as a puppeteer," she said playfully, "but by night, you rescue drunken damsels in distress?"

"Half right," he said hoisting the chest upon his shoulder, just as he'd done with her the night before. "Yesterday was…ah…out of the ordinary, you could say."

"Huh…" she said examining the chest. She then realized how drunk she must have been the previous night. Though she remembered him and remembered being carried, she could barely remember a thing after that. "Well, I hate to break this to you but…your mask isn't fooling anyone."

"So I realize," he said as they began to walk forward. "So miss trickster…I know I've never seen you around here before…tell me where you're from."

"Is that a command?" she laughed.

"It's a request," he said rolling his eyes. "Just figured if we were walking the same way, a civil conversation about anything but last night wouldn't be completely out of the question."

"Sorry," she said looking at the ground. "I come off harsh, I know."

"The appearance of a rose bush with nothing but the thorns." he joked.

"I couldn't tell you where exactly I'm from," she admitted pushing her hair back.

"Don't you know?" he asked puzzled.

"I mean…I've been traveling since I could remember. I've been all over…I can't remember really where I was born. My brother would know. I just…never thought to ask."

"And which, may I ask," he said looking over at her, "one of the gentlemen was your brother."

"Well…the one you so graciously taunted isn't my real brother. Neither was the short one in green," she said recalling Georgio's short demeanor and green trousers and shirt. "My brother's the tall one, same complexion and hair color as me."

"The only one taller than you," Clopin joked. Anna Maria was very tall for a woman, with generous curves and long dark hair. "Well they seemed…" Clopin trailed off and looked up, thinking of a proper adjective without offending her.

"Yeah," she said picking the pace of their walking back up. "I mean…they're good guys,"

"Good guys who like to steal," Clopin laughed, "and teach beautiful young women to do the same."

"That was rather bold," Anna Maria said taken back.

"To call you beautiful?" he joked, "because you and I both know very well you got those men riled up over some unfair tricks in the tavern yesterday."

"I won those games fair and square!" Anna Maria defended, "I happen to be a very good card player."

"I'm neither drunk at the moment nor an idiot, my dear." He said hoisting his box on the other shoulder.

"No," she said shrugging, "just an incredible ass."

"That, my fair lady," he said "was bold…and reminds me that we haven't even been properly introduced."

"Well…should we?" she asked him shrugging again.

"Why not?"

"Odds are Mr.…Jester…I won't be here for long, and really I find introductions pointless unless you'll be spending a lot of time with the person to whom you're being introduced."

"Well, what's keeping you from staying?" Clopin asked putting his box down on the ground, leaning against it. "What reason would an honest, beautiful and _talented card player_ have for leaving a beautiful city such as this?" Anna Maria couldn't help but smile. He was smart and he was tricky…much more than he let on. At her pause, Clopin extended his hand. "My name is Clopin Trouillefu," he said taking hers and kissing it, "and I am NOT a jester." He said in a serious tone.

Reluctantly, Anna Maria playfully brought herself to a curtsy. "My name," she said rising. "is Anna Maria."


	7. A Magnificent Prison

**Chapter 7**

**A Magnificent Prison**

Anna Maria took off her sash as she entered her room. She was surprised, but pleased, to find her brothers weren't home. A slight streak of fear went through her, however, at the thought that they may have gone trying to find her.

She shrugged it off and sat down on the bed. She felt odd, nervous and curious. Never had she introduced herself to anyone by her own name, or been asked to. Never. She never made friends or even contemplated having a friend or acquaintance with anyone beside who her brother knew. She was never forced into loneliness or a life without company, aside from the three able bodied men that she traveled with. She never saw the point. But suddenly now, here she was. This Clopin Trouillefu knew her name, and so much more about her. Paris was indeed, a curious city.

Moments into her thinking, her brothers walked in. "There's the princess!" Bull exclaimed slamming the door shut once the boys were all inside.

"Were you looking for me?" she rolled her eyes. Georgio flipped the covers under her and she fell off the bed. The three, as usual, burst into laughter at her embarrassment.

"One of these days," she said dusting herself off, "You guys are going to hurt me for real with your little tricks. And then you won't be laughing. You'll feel guilty for it."

"Nah," Antonio said jumping onto the bed, "we're careful when we play." Anna Maria angrily went over to the mirror.

"Lighten up, Anna," Georgio joked sitting on his chair in the corner. "We brought you something…" he reached into his knapsack and pulled a small bag out of it. He handed it to her. She reached into the bag and pulled out the prettiest looking cake she'd ever seen. It was decorated with pink frosting and had three small cherries on the top of it.

"Where'd you get this!" she exclaimed. It was almost too pretty to eat.

"Do you have to ask?" Antonio said laughing. "You were right about this city; suckers everywhere. People just gather on the streets with open carts full of food and toys and junk. It's so easy to just take it when they're distracted. Even bakeries!" The boys joined in laughter.

Anna Maria put the cake back in the bag and rolled it up. She remembered what Clopin said about her brothers stealing. It was useless to defend them, anymore. All the four did was steal, take and leave. It was all she knew. How would she ever break free of this life of hers? She began to feel trapped again, in need of outside air. She gripped the cake and grabbed her shawl again.

"Are you leaving, again?" Bull asked. Antonio rose from the bed.

"I need some air," she said wrapping her shawl around her shoulders.

"What's gotten into you, baby sister?" Antonio said stepping in front of her. "Are you going to eat that or not?"

"I will outside." she said shoving him away, "And I'm not your baby sister anymore," she said opening the door. Antonio slammed it shut, and she was startled. "I'm a woman, Antonio."

"An ungrateful one, at that," He said blocking her again. "I don't know if you remember at all what happened to our parents," he said drawing closer to her, "when THEY decided to settle into a town, but I do." She began to back away, but he followed. "Maybe you were too young to remember the site of them scorching in fire in our own home, and the smell of everything we had up in smoke, but I do." He said his voice growing angrier. Anna Maria was now against the wall of the room. "You have no choice in the matter. We came all the way here for you," he said poking her hard, "and we are staying her a bit longer than we _should_ for you," he poked her again, "now either you wise up and get grateful for that fucking cake I took for you, or we can leave this city right now!" he said finally giving her a light push into the wall. She had nothing left in her to muster a response. She could feel the trapped feeling mixed with embarrassment and guilt enclosing her and tears form in her eyes.

"I have given you half of EVERYTHING I ever got," he said walking away from her, "I've provided countless amounts of food, water, shelter, toys, you name it!" he said his voice rising again. "Not only do you not realize how ungrateful you are, my sister, but you don't realize the simple fact that you couldn't go a day without me or one of these two by your side. Maybe a night while your drunk and stealing money off of poor unsuspecting slobs…but not an entire day while surviving."

Instantly, the thought of her getting surrounded by men the night before in the alley flooded her memory. He was right. She'd have been dead if it wasn't for Clopin. "So…maybe you should reconsider that high horse you're on top of," Antonio said angrily. "Before I decide to just shoot it." He sat back down on the bed, his back to her. Bull and Georgio stared awkwardly at the walls. It was dead quiet.

Anna Maria had been through a lot with her brothers. One thing, however, she could never bring herself to do was cry in front of them or any other man on this earth. She grabbed her shawl, grabbed the bag and angrily left the room and entered the cold of the outside. She slammed the door shut as the tears fell from her eyes.

Anna Maria walked to the square of the village. Today was not a day of a festival, and the sun was still high in the sky, so there was nowhere to drink. She rubbed her eyes, wishing tears would stop falling. She hated crying, and when she thought of how much she hated it, all she did was cry more. She tried as hard as she could to stop thinking about what her brother had said to her. He was a fool for talking about their parents. She hated remembering.

And now she couldn't stop thinking of that horrible, horrible day; a day she tried so hard to forget, memories long repressed, he opened them back up. Now the tears wouldn't stop. She turned around and walked toward the inn.

Flashes of memories came to her; the house on fire, angry people screaming for their parents' death, her parents…

Her walking quickly turned to running. She ran past the inn, over the small bridge. She ignored the fuss of Genevieve as she ran by. She ran along the lake of sewage, past a small cottage, past a basement door into the sewers. She ran as fast as her feet could carry her. Eventually, the lake of sewage turned into a clear river. By the time she had run out of breath, she was surrounded by trees and rocks. She collapsed down on the ground, crying and shaking, begging to forget the horrid past her brother reminded her existed.


	8. Hornets Protecting their Hive

**Chapter 8**

**Hornets Protecting their Hive**

Anna Maria awoke to a moist, smelly, soft kiss on her cheek. She shot up from the ground. It was dark. She saw a small, furry animal scamper away from her. She felt her cheek for blood. Luckily, there was nothing but animal saliva. She wiped her cheek and brought herself to her feet. She began to walk forward and out of the woods. When she exited her surroundings of trees and rocks, she found herself by a clear river of water. She sat herself down on a patch of grass, awestruck by the glistening pool that reflected the stars.

She stared into the water at the clear reflection of the sky above her. Her brothers would probably be worried about her. _Good. _She thought to herself. _Let them worry. _Had she known anyone in the city, she would have just stayed with them instead…scare Antonio out of his wits. He'd worry to death if she didn't come home for a day, or two.

Then it occurred to her. She _did_ know someone in the city. Clopin; but she didn't know where in God's name to find him. She barely knew her way past the square; she had no idea where she'd look. Then it hit her; she'd thought of one place she could start.

…

With her shawl pulled over her head and embracing her face, she entered the tavern as cool and nonchalant as she possibly could. She didn't notice anyone look up at her, thankfully. She took a seat all the way at the end of the bar, against the ending wall. Within moments, a bar maid finally noticed her and asked what she'd be drinking. She didn't recognize the barmaid and, luckily, the barmaid didn't recognize her either. She ordered herself a pitcher of ale and tipped her generously.

It was hard to drink with the shawl covering her face, but she couldn't risk anyone recognizing her from the night before. There was a good chance none of them would be there. There was a good chance they'd been too drunk to remember her. She doubted it, though. No matter how drunk she would have gotten, she was sure it'd be hard to forget the face of a woman who beat her for a year's wages.

As the night went further on, she started to become a little drunk. It was hard for her not to drink at a time like this. The alcohol helped keep the pending thoughts her brother had brought to her attention at bay. She was careful, however, to pace herself. She had to be able to recognize him.

People began to leave, others came in. The mysterious puppet master/jester/damsel saver was nowhere to be found. Hours passed by and it was now the early hours of the morning. She began to doubt herself. Maybe she was too drunk to remember the tavern and was in the wrong one. Maybe she didn't notice him here. What if this wasn't a regular spot for him? She remembered him saying, after all, that yesterday's events were "out of the ordinary…"

His voice echoed in her head. She took the glass in her hand and gulped the rest of it down. It was no use, at this point, trying to find a fascinating man in a fascinating city full of fascinating people. Of every bar in all of Paris, what were the odds he'd come there the same night she was there? There were no odds. She slammed the cup onto the bar, signaling for another pitcher.

Three pitchers later, she was very drunk. The thoughts in her head were swimming, and she felt relieved of the pain that pestered her moments before. Her drunken stupor lead her to the decision to sleep in the same spot she did just hours before in the woods. That would worry Antonio. That would make him sorry.

As the door of the tavern opened and the bell chimed, three familiar voices walked toward the bar maids. They sat down on the opposite end of the bar from her. She pulled the shawl over her face and inched as close to the corner of the wall as she could possibly get. The bar maid brought her pitcher over and set it down. When she left, Anna Maria glanced over as carefully as she could. She caught the faces of the last three people she wanted to see sitting at the bar drinking ale; Antonio, Georgio and Bull.

As they talked and laughed and punched each other playfully, also flirting with the bar maids, she tried her hardest to sober up. _They didn't recognize you. They don't recognize you._ She kept trying to assure herself. She didn't drink another drop of ale. She needed to sober the hell up and get the hell out of that bar.

Moments that seemed like hours passed by and the three were still there. She glanced over carefully at them, and then at the door. If she could make her passing them as inconspicuous as possible, she could reach the door and get out before they even noticed she was there. She got up from the stool and made her way past them. As she approached the door, her heart leaped. She was almost there.

"Mademoiselle!" the bar maid called to her. Her heart sunk down to her stomach. "You do not want the last of your ale?" she asked. Anna Maria waved her hand. The sound of her brother's voice almost made her vomit.

"Looks like she's had all she could handle." He said not even looking at Anna Maria. "If the lady's done and it's paid for, we will be generous enough to share among ourselves!" he laughed. The three chuckled and the barmaid brought the pitcher to them. They turned around and continued to drink.

Anna Maria almost collapsed. They didn't recognize her. She had gazed into the eyes of hell, and the devil walked right past. She turned her drunken self around to exit the door, but froze.

_What a damn coincidence_, she thought to herself.

"Anna Maria!" Clopin said loudly after bumping into her. "This is a terrible place for you to be standing, mon ami." He laughed. At this, her cover was blown. "Come, would you like a drink?"

"Anna!" Antonio charged seeing her. She was too drunk to move fast, so she backed away toward the wall.

"Leave me be, Antonio." She slurred leaning onto the wall "I don't want to see you!" she hiccupped.

"You're drunk and you're out of your mind." He said angrily grabbing her arm. "You need to go back to the inn, now. We all do!" he motioned to the other two. They got up quickly and finished their drinks off.

"Is there a problem here, monsieur?" Clopin asked blocking their exit. "I was just going to buy my friend, here, a drink." He planted himself firmly at the door, staring at Antonio.

"Well you're friends had enough drinks," Antonio said pulling his stumbling sister to him. "And we were just leaving."

"Yes, you were," Clopin said removing Antonio's tight grip on Anna Maria's shoulder. "but she and I were just about to sit down for a glass of wine."

"Actually," Georgio said looking slightly up at Clopin, who was a few too many inches taller than him. "it looked like she was getting ready to leave. We can escort her out, don't worry."

"I think it's neither up to you, him," Clopin motioned to Antonio, "or I to decide, but the lady. Well, mademoiselle?" he said turning to Anna Maria. "Would you like to leave with the three…scoundrels or stay here with the gentleman?" he bowed, removing his hat.

"Oh, I know you…" Bull growled as Clopin rose back and placed his hat back on top of his head. He pushed Anna Maria out of the way and punched Clopin in the face. Clopin fell back against the wall, but ducked and rolled over. Bull, who had already started toward Clopin, aimed for the spot he was in before he rolled to the left. He planted himself face first into the wall.

Clopin rose and offered his hand to Anna Maria. "Maybe we can drink elsewhere, my dear." He said. Anna took his hand. Clopin rubbed his nose, now trickling small drops of blood, and pulled her to the door behind him.

"Anna what is in your head?" Antonio yelled "you'd go away drunk with this gypsy before coming home to your brothers!" he ran toward them. Clopin picked up his pace. He and Anna Maria were now running out and past the square. Luckily, they were both very fast runners. The alcohol and drunkenness was beginning to weigh down on Anna Maria, though. Clopin could tell.

"This way," he whispered. They ducked behind some trees. Clopin led her under the same bridge she ran past hours ago. They crouched near the shore by the water and hid. Anna, swaying still from drinking, almost fell into the lake. Clopin gripped her and clamped his hand over her mouth. She could see the small amount of blood on his nose. Moments later, the brothers passed angrily and ran straight for the woods.

"I'm gonna kill that gypsy bastard!" Bull yelled leading the two.

"Don't hurt Anna!" Antonio yelled as they passed the bridge and ran past Anna Maria and Clopin into the distance.


	9. Sanctuary

**Chapter 9**

**Sanctuary**

Clopin removed his hand from Anna Maria's mouth, but held a finger to his lips and shooshed her. He stood up, pulled himself up to the small bridge and looked around. The boys had run off and into the woods. As he jumped down from the bridge, he heard Anna Maria coughing. She crawled close to the water, away from Clopin and threw up in the lake. Clopin minded his distance for the few moments she was vomiting.

"Moonlight," he said looking up at the sky, "starry sky, crystal clear pool, vomiting, a soft breeze; if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were trying to woo me, mademoiselle." He wiped the blood from his nose.

She finished puking. Through sour lips, she scoffed at him "If only you'd be so lucky," she gagged. She took some water from the lake. They were close to sewage, but anything was better than the taste of vomit.

"So romantic," he said lying back on the grass. Anna Maria gathered herself and went back to sit with him.

"I suppose," she said hugging her knees together; "you probably think I'm some drunken whore who does nothing but steal and drink." Her words came out slurred. She rubbed her head and her eyes.

"Well," he said sitting up, "I've seen you steal and drink in action. You've yet to show me, however, the whore part." Anna Maria rolled her eyes.

"I guess I deserve that." She said resting her chin on her knees. "I suppose I'm really not much more than a drunken thief. Really…that is all I do."

"I think," he said stretching his legs out in front of him, "there is something more."

"You think?" she said looking at him, "On both occasions we've run into each other, you've had to carry me out of trouble."

"This time I dragged you." He laughed.

"Regardless," she said looking up at the sky, "maybe that's just what it is."

"Don't forget about this afternoon," Clopin said rising to his feet. "You were sober and…wandering. What would a talented card playing drunk like yourself be doing wandering if that's all there was? If you want my opinion-"

"Not tonight," she said rubbing her head once more. "I've had quite enough opinions and commands and…all of that for a night." She, too, stretched her feet out. "I suppose you'll be off, then?" she asked.

"I suppose," he said looking up at the bridge. "Maybe you should, too. They're bound to come back this way. If you're running from them-"

"I'm not running," she said folding her arms. "Just…"

"Wandering?" he asked.

"I suppose," she smiled. "But for the night, my wandering is over. For now, this will do." She said lying back on the grass. Clopin hesitated for a moment. He knew, according to his damn conscience, what he should do. He knew what was right to do. But he wasn't sure it was the smartest thing to do.

"Damnit…" he mumbled to himself recalling the same feeling he had the night he found her drunk and in trouble. "Surely," he sighed, "you don't mean you'd be staying here…for the night…under the bridge?"

"Going to the inn isn't an option." She said.

"Why is that?" he asked, "If you're paying, too, they can't-" at the sounds of footsteps and the three familiar voices approaching, Clopin jumped back under the bridge. He and Anna Maria squeezed close together out of sight, hiding their shadows and reflections in the water.

"I swear, sometimes that sister of yours doesn't know what she's got coming to her." Bull said sounding out of breath.

"If you ask me, we could have left her years ago and gotten along just fine, Antonio." Georgio said angrily. "I don't get why we go chasing her, fanning the flame of her dramatic tendencies and getting in these messes.

"Because she's blood," Antonio said. "She will come around. She _will _come back just like she always does. The minute I find her is the minute we pack up and leave this place for good. You're both right. The games are ending. 'I'm 21,'" he said mockingly, "well then it's time to treat her like she's 21." Anna Maria was still and awestruck as their voices faded with their shadows.

When they were sure the three were out of sight and ear shot, they relaxed and rose to their feet once more. Anna Maria was quiet and flush.

"I think," he said offering her his hand again, "maybe you should come with me for the night."

…

"After everything that's happened," Anna Maria said reaching her hand out in front of her, "do you think it wise to blind fold me like this?" Clopin had her by the shoulders and was walking behind her.

"I'm sorry, cheri," he said leading her forward, "for reasons beyond my control, you may know of the place I am going to take you, but you cannot know _where_ it is."

"This is absurd," she said.

"Only a little farther," he said. She sped up too fast and he lost grip of her shoulders. She almost toppled forward and he grabbed her by her hips. She kneed him.

"Keep 'em high, monsieur!" she said mocking his accent.

"J'em excuse," he mumbled placing his hands back on her shoulders. "In a few moments you can take the blindfold off." He led her to the door of the sewers, but she couldn't see. He opened the door. "Step down," he said pushing gently on her shoulders.

"What's that smell?" she said gagging, almost falling backward. "This better not be a trick or some…scheme. So help me if it is."

"It's not," he said shutting the door above them. He removed her blindfold as it grew dark.

"Good thing I don't have the blind fold," she said grabbing hold of his arm in the pitch black, "because then I wouldn't be able to see…"

"I must say, mademoiselle, I never grow weary of your sarcasm," he picked up a torch from the wall and lit it.

"So…you live in the sewers somewhere in Paris," she said squinting at the light. "And that's the grand secret?"

"Not quite," he said as they stepped out of the sewage and onto a set of stone steps. After going up the steps, they made a turn and he blew the torch out. He pulled a curtain aside. "But this is."

As she walked past the curtain, she was shocked. Here she had been expecting a small tent, maybe a hut full of puppets and a few trinkets. At most, she expected a few more like him to be living in a collection of blankets and scraps of wood. But she was looking at an underground city of hundreds of people. There was food, clothing, shacks, huts, tents, and small carts similar to those on the streets of Paris selling goods and produce. Her jaw dropped as she looked around at the bustling population of people just like him…people like her; outcasts living somewhere safe and protected.

"Welcome, mademoiselle," he said pushing her chin up to close her mouth, "to The Court of Miracles."


	10. A Place of Miracles

**Chapter 10**

**A Place of Miracles**

"It's a miracle, alright," she said slowly inching her way forward. It didn't smell of sewers, it wasn't dirty or grimy; the people weren't unhappy, nor seemed as if they were hiding. The small population of people was bustling. Even at this time of night, people were roaming the court, drinking, talking. They were living. "Is this where you live?"

"It's where we all live, cheri." He said stepping forward. "And where you are, also, welcome to stay." She began to walk forward, but he extended his arm and blocked her. "IF," he said in the rare occurring serious tone of his, "you do not steal anything here. You don't take anything unless it's offered to you or you buy it. I'll deny it after this moment, but I do believe there's more to you than a thief and a drunkard. Prove me wrong and you won't be asked to leave…I will be sure of it." In the short time they'd been acquainted, she never heard so much truth, conviction or seriousness in his words. It almost made her want to leave and never return to this magical place he'd so generously offered her. If she were to break the trust he decided for whatever reason to bestow on her, her heart would probably break more than his.

"Well…" she said looking him straight in the eye, "let's hope you're right." At this he hesitantly lowered his arm.

"Right this way, mademoiselle!" he said returning to his cheery demeanor. He began introducing her to a series of people they were passing, but there were so many she'd never remember. As he did, she looked around at the magical kingdom he'd shown her. Here, she thought to herself, was hope. Here was a chance to do exactly what she wanted to do; live as a part of something and start over. Here she could escape her brothers and the life they forced upon her…no questions asked. She'd disappear into this wonderful place, never to be seen or bothered by them again.

Suddenly, though, her heart ached for her brother. Antonio truly wanted what was best for her. As bad as his temper was and as cruel as the jokes were at times, he was blood. Just like he always said, he protected her. Maybe it wasn't that she needed him…maybe he needed her. She couldn't really picture what he'd do if she didn't come back. It became evident in this moment that not only was he all she had up to this point, but she was all he had.

"Anna Maria," Clopin snapped. She shook herself from her thoughts. "Still coming down from the ale, my dear?" he asked.

"Something like that," she said rubbing her head. "All joking aside," she said stopping, "Clopin I really do want to express-"

"Oh I'll be back in no more than an hour!" yelled a voice coming from behind the two. "I won't be long, just stepping out for a drink." A beautiful woman with the same dark, smooth complexion and hair as he had smacked him on his head.

"Madame! Porquoi!" he said removing his hat and rubbing his head.

"You said you'd be right back," the woman said. "And do you know who I promised could wait up for you to tell him a bed time story when you got back?"

"Tell Phoebus he's growing much too old for me to be rocking him to sleep every night," Clopin said with that annoying, sly grin on his face. The woman went to hit him again, but he ducked.

"And I see you've brought back company…" she said examining Anna Maria, "once more." The woman, also blessed with the gift of curves and rustic beauty, smiled pleasantly at Anna Maria. "My name is Esmeralda, and welcome." She said offering her hand. Anna Maria nodded and shook her hand.

"It's nice to meet you…and thank you it's…" she looked around again trailing off, "wonderful."

"You look exhausted, dear." Esmeralda said with concern in her voice.

"Not exhausted," Clopin joked, "just drunk. Well, not anymore I suppose but…definitely coming down from it." He elbowed Anna Maria.

"Thanks, you ass." She whispered.

"Oh, that kind of company…" Esmeralda raised an eyebrow at Clopin.

"No!" Clopin and Anna Maria both exclaimed at once. "She just needs somewhere to settle for the night," Clopin said rubbing his forehead. "I for one _am_ quite exhausted myself."

"Only if there's spare room," Anna Maria said blushing. For some reason, she found herself wanting to be polite and seem grateful in the presence of Esmeralda. She wondered if this was the way she'd behave more if she knew other women.

"Oh around here," she said motioning toward the rest of the court, "there's plenty." She smiled. "And Phoebus went to bed hours ago, along with Zephyr. He went kicking and screaming, no thanks to you."

"I'm the one who's supposed to control your husband's temper?" Clopin joked, resulting in another pounding to the head from Esmeralda.

"Enough of that," she said. "Anna Maria, I'd be happy to show you a place to sleep tonight, if you're truly…weary." She said smiling weakly.

"I'd appreciate it," she smiled back.

"Stealing my company, are you?" Clopin said crossing his arms.

"I was under the impression she wasn't staying with you tonight," Esmeralda winked, "so she is in the company of the Court."

"I was merely thanking you," he joked. "I've taken enough beatings for one night." He turned to leave. "Au revoir, mademoiselles." Before he left, he motioned for Anna Maria to come over to him. She shrugged and hesitantly approached him.

"Where did the manners come from?" he asked shocked.

"Not too sure," she said glaring at him. "Perhaps I'm just trying to behave in the _company of the court."_

"Clever girl," Clopin chuckled. "Well…anyway…remember what I said before," he said putting a hand on her shoulder. She shrugged it off and rolled her eyes.

"I won't steal anything, Clopin." She said turning away. He stopped her, grabbing her shoulder again.

"That's not what I meant." He said as she turned to look at him. "Same conversation…just…the other part. There's more to you than even, I think, you realize mon ami." He patted her on the shoulder and turned. "Bonum nuit." He said before going. She nodded as he walked away.

"Follow me," Esmeralda said tapping her. "I'll show you where you can rest."

Esmeralda lead Anna Maria to a small closing of shacks and tents decorated with fabrics and blankets of bright colors. There was one orange, purple and green gathering of wood and blankets crafted into a small tent. Inside were a cot and a chair, along with a very small stand. It was very plain, but very homey nonetheless.

"You don't have any neighbors," Esmeralda said referring to the other few gatherings, "so there's some privacy if you need it. And, I'm not sure what Clopin's told you but as far as I'm concerned you can stay as long as you'd like. This place has been a little less crowded lately."

"It's marvelous," Anna Maria said gratefully. Again, her manners and polite demeanor were on full display. "And I think for now we can let him decide whether I'm to stay or not."

"Well, he is the boss…in a way." Esmeralda joked.

"What do you mean?" Anna Maria asked a bit puzzled. "Is this…" she paused.

"Well this was all…his doing, his plan, his idea. I'll never give him credit to his face…he's a bit of a know it all,"

"And a showoff," Anna Maria rolled her eyes.

"You must know him well," Esmeralda smiled.

"You don't have to. Not to get that from him. I've been around boys all my life," she laughed. "Not in…I mean not like…" she blushed, "I have brothers." She said shutting herself up.

"That makes you a good judge of character,I bet. Are they with you?"

"Not at the moment," she said looking down. "Partially the reason I'm here."

"I see," Esmeralda said looking down. "As I said," she smiled turning to leave, "stay as long as you'd like." She went to exit the small shack. "Sweet dreams, Anna Maria."

"Sweet dreams, as well." Anna Maria said sitting on the cot. She looked around at the room. "If you knew me well, you wouldn't want me to stay…" she said to no one but herself. As strange and peculiar as all of this was, it was very exciting. She stretched out on the cot, resting her head on the small pillow. Truly, the Court of Miracles was just that; a miraculous find for her. It was just as miraculous meeting the strange jester the way she did, that he would invite her to this place and give her an alternative. With all of this in mind and a lingering hangover, it wasn't long before Anna Maria was fast asleep.


	11. Heaven's Light

**Chapter 11  
Heaven's Light**

Anna Maria had no idea what time it was when she woke up, but she felt very rested and refreshed. It was odd that she didn't wake up with a terrible hangover, but she was fuzzy about the night before nonetheless. She turned onto her back and went through the familiar process of recounting what she remembered about the night's events.

She drank. That much she knew for sure. She was waiting in the bar to find Clopin. She had almost forgotten that was her goal in everything last night. Then it hit her…hard. Antonio, Bull and Georgio had no clue where she was. She'd been gone the entire night. Unbeknownst to them, she'd found a place to stay where she never had to see them again. It was possible that they'd seen her for the very last time the night before when Antonio yelled at her. It was at this point in her thoughts that she stopped. She didn't want to recall the things Antonio had said. Not here. Not today.

She sat up and stretched. She smoothed her hair back and rubber her eyes. She wasn't sure exactly what to do or where to go from here, but she knew she couldn't run from her brother forever. It was very unlikely and almost impossible that he'd find her in the Court of Miracles. But he would tear apart all of Paris to find her for sure. Perhaps her dream of staying here forever wasn't realistic. Maybe it was. Regardless, she dreaded the fact that she _had_ to talk to her brother no matter what. She had to confront him and at least give him the benefit of the doubt. Realistically, she did owe him that.

His words echoed in her head from the night before; _she will come back just like she always does. The minute I find her is the minute we pack up and leave this place for good._

She couldn't let that happen. In her time without Antonio she made two friends; that's two more than she made knowing him all of her life. Who knew what else she could achieve with a fresh start and people to believe in her? She didn't know what to do.

With these thoughts in her head, she got up from the cot and left her small hideaway for the time being. She wasn't sure where to go or where to look to find Clopin. As she wandered around, she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Good morning," said a familiar voice behind her. Esmeralda was smiling at her when she turned around. "Did you sleep well?"

"I did, thank you." She said. "But I do have to go. Is um…Clopin around? I'd like to see him before I leave."

"He may have left already…" she said scratching her head. "But you are welcome back whenever you like,"

"That'd be wonderful," she said, only to realize she didn't even know how to get here. "I'm not sure where I'd look, of course." Esmeralda rolled her eyes.

"Oh, did he blind fold you?" she asked, "I'm sorry. He really likes to keep this place as under wraps as he can, ever since it was discovered by Frollo. No one's looking for trouble as much as they used to when Frollo was alive, but it's still kind of a secret." She patted her on the shoulder. "I'm sorry, again. He's a bit over protective of everything…and everyone."

"That explains a lot," Anna Maria shrugged.

"What's that?" Esmeralda asked.

"Nothing really…" she said. "I'm just…not used to people taking kindly to me at all." She said looking off. "I really couldn't imagine anything like this happening to me. And I've been all over the world, it seems."

"Do you travel?" Esmeralda said, her eyes lighting up.

"I kind of have to…" she replied. She couldn't bear to tell someone as nice and perfect as Esmeralda what she did for a 'living.'

"With your brothers?" Esmeralda asked.

"Yes…" she said looking at the ground.

"I don't want to pry," Esmeralda said, "but whatever you decide to do, you're always welcome here…don't worry about what Clopin says."

"I thought he was the boss?" Anna Maria joked.

"Well, not of me." Esmeralda laughed.

…

As she exited the sewer through the opening door, the light of the morning hit her eyes like she'd been sleeping for days. She could hear the bells of the cathedral of Notre Dame chiming. They reminded her of the day she arrived; so full of hope, promise and light.

Anna Maria was amazed when she discovered the mysterious court was in the sewers right near the inn. She could imagine Clopin pushing her around in circles last night while blindfolded for God knows how long. In her drunken stupor, she hadn't even noticed. She could slap him.

She ran quietly and quickly past the inn. She couldn't imagine any of her brothers were awake yet, but she still was careful. She may have had to confront her brother, but she wasn't ready yet. But as she ran past the stable in the back, Genevieve made a great fuss. At this, she ran faster and headed straight for the square.

As she approached she saw the familiar sight of children gathered around to see the famous Clopin telling those stories. She snuck her way over and stood to the side with the parents and adults.

"He's got a knack with the children," she heard a woman say. She was right. He was very good at being dramatic, Anna Maria knew already. But she would never have guessed he'd spend his days in the streets of Paris telling children stories and making puppets. The ratty dolls pranced about to the amusement of the children gathered around. They laughed and oohed and were quite amazed at the spectacular puppets. When one story ended, the children applauded at the sight of him.

His smile was contagious and his humor was greatly received by everyone in the crowd. The stories he told were a mixture of fairy tales he'd seemed to alter and history lessons about certain sights in Paris. Each story was better than the last. Anna Maria actually found herself entertained as well. The children laughed at the puppets and the funny voices, while the adults laughed at the colorful satyr and sarcasm of his tales.

Anna Maria was more amazed as the stories went on. His voice was the most spectacular part. In his narration, it was deep and loud as he bellowed through tales and, even songs. He seemed to have a treasure trove of character voices for each puppet, never repeating a single one for a different character. Just as she suspected, he was a fascinating individual.

After a few stories, Clopin finally brought an end to his puppet show with the announcement of returning later in the afternoon. As he began closing up as usual, Anna Maria nervously approached him. At the sight of her, Clopin froze.

"I was surprised to find out the marvelous Court of Miracles took me a mere 10 minutes to find my way back from." she said glaring at him. "You must have a terrible sense of direction."

"Well…" he said placing a sign on the front of the cart, "there's no fooling you." He joked, poking her playfully.

"Was that just an act yesterday or were you really trying to hide it from me?" she asked following behind him.

"A little of both, my dear." He replied. "I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm a fan of theatrics and laughs; makes things interesting."

"No doubt I've noticed," she rolled her eyes.

"A little fun with a drunken woman is the best kind," he winked.

"As annoying as those theatrics and come-ons of yours are," she said rolling her eyes, "I did want to find you and…well thank you."

"No need to thank me," he said, "but you can repay me by answering one question."

"Depends on the question…" she said suspiciously.

"If you find my theatrics annoying," he said turning to her with his arms folded, "why were you waiting for me in that pub last night?" A wave of embarrassment and regret shot through her. She froze at the question. What was she supposed to tell him? She needed saving from her brother? She needed distracted from the horrible thoughts that overtook her? She wanted company to console her weary mood? Not only would these go to his head and make him positively impossible to deal with, they'd reveal things she wasn't sure she wanted him to know.

"Well…" she said blushing, "the honest answer is quite a long story."

"It just so happens that the rest of my morning is free," he said motioning to the sign on his cart revealing he'd be back by afternoon.

"Oh isn't that lucky," she grimaced as they began to walk. "Are you sure an answer to your question is the _only_ way I can repay you for your hospitality?"

"It's not the _only_ way." He said winking and nudging her. She nudged him back…hard.

"Well then," she said leading them on, "maybe we should take a walk while I tell you this long story."


	12. Hungry from Birth

**Chapter 12  
Hungry from Birth**

Anna Maria managed to stall her true answer to Clopin's question with some stories from her traveling; gambling in Italy, stealing in Spain, hustling in Hungary and the stories of how she and Antonio came across Georgio and Bull. With all of the tales, they'd walked far from the city. They were far off into the woods in the same spot Anna had passed out the previous night by herself.

"Georgio," she said, lying on her back in the grass. "was in an orphanage and he decided to come with us. I was 14."

"This was in Turkey, correct?" Clopin said sitting against a tree.

"Yes. Bull actually joined us when I was 17. Antonio was 23."

"So you've all been…"

"Attached at the hip since," she said closing her eyes. She could remember the stories vividly in her mind. "I've had a sense of…blind faith inmy brother until about a year or two ago."

"What happened then?" he asked looking over at her. Her skin, an olive complexion, glistened in the warmth of that unusually warm January morning. It was much lighter than his, but far from pale. Her dark hair spread across the grass in large waves. He found his eyes lingering, so he looked past her.

"Nothing in particular," she said. "I'm sure you can imagine this kind of lifestyle growing old."

"Oh, can I?" he said glaring back at her.

"I'm only naïve when I'm drunk, my friend." She said stroking her hair. "You're clever and have a thick skin. You are also much older than I am."

"Not THAT much older," he said, sounding insulted.

"That kind of wit and cunning doesn't come from years of living an easy life. Everyone has to get by. Everybody has to steal something these days."

"Aren't you observant…" he said raising an eyebrow. She laughed. "I've had my share of trouble," he said leaning back further and folding his arms behind his head. "But I can swear to the heavens above, cheri, I've never stolen a thing from anyone." He pondered for a moment, "Well…unless you count the hearts of countless a fair maidens,"

"Please," she scoffed rising to a sitting position. "Spare me those stories, I beg." He laughed.

"So you get around yourself, I see." He said as she adjusted to lying on her stomach facing him. "You weren't kidding when you said you've been everywhere."

"Don't get too excited," she said pulling some grass from the ground and stacking it in piles. "I don't get around _that_ easily." She winked.

"Secousse!" he exclaimed chuckling. "As fascinating and endearing it is that you'd share these stories with someone as fanciful and theatrical as me," he said lowering himself to his stomach right in front of her, "you still have yet to answer my question. Though, your stalling was very impressive." He said smiling, leaning on his elbows. She looked up at him, embarrassed again. "And I can assume by the way you keep blushing, I will like the answer." This made her blush again.

"Well…monsieur," she said, again mocking his accent. She rested her chin on her hands. He looked down at her dark, wavy head of hair once more. "I can't say it's an easy question to answer. And I ramble when I'm stuck." She took a deep breath. "If you want the truth," she said turning over onto her back again, staring right up at him and into his eyes. "I was, indeed, hoping to woo you all of this time," she said dramatically placing her hand over her forehead. She twisted around and collapsed onto her back and let out a cry, "and wished for you to bed me, dragging me to your court and taking my"

"Enough," he said dryly, sitting up. She began to laugh. She let out a sigh.

"That answer was easier than the real one, forgive me." She said still letting loose some laughter, "especially the initial look on your face…" she sat up again.

"I'm glad you find it amusing," he said resting his elbow on his knee. He placed his chin is his palm.

"Don't be so sensitive. I'm sure you are the womanizer that you say you are." She laughed again. "I am just a street walking troll who's immune to your charms."

"Don't be so sure," he winked. "But all joking and stories aside, mon ami," he said giving her a serious look, "were you waiting for me in that pub yesterday?"

"I may have been," she said. "Perhaps, looking for…" she forced the words out, "company besides my brothers for a change. Maybe just…" she sat up, "looking for a friend to distract me from…"

"From what I walked into, yesterday?" he said trying to make eye contact. "Your brothers, I mean?"

"Perhaps," she said avoiding his gaze. It was hard for her to discuss Antonio's rage without thinking of where it all came from. That was a topic that was out of the question to approach.

"What would have happened," he said carefully trying to choose his words, "if I never would have walked into that pub when I did?"

"Actually," she said remembering the precise moment he blew her cover, "I was quietly leaving them to their drinking before they'd notice me. But I suppose I would have left and…slept in the woods."

"Like you almost did before I blind folded you?" he asked.

"No need to rub it in," she said growing annoyed, "I said I was grateful." She looked up at him, meeting his gaze finally. "I am."

"I meant to say," he said in a serious tone, fixing his eyes onto hers, "there's a good chance something bad could have happened."

"If you didn't step in and save the day?" she said getting up, "Saving the thieving damsel from her own brother?"

"Cheri, you misunderstand me," he said rising as well.

"I understand," she said. "Look, the come-ons can be amusing. But they're not cute when I'm…" she paused trying to find the words toexpress herself, "telling you…something really…important." She began walking away.

"It wasn't a come on," he said stopping her. He placed his hands on her shoulders and stopped her to look her in the eye, "don't take this to your head or anything, but I was worried about you. I know you care for your brother, but the rage I saw yesterday wasn't something to be trifled with."

"He was just hurt," she said looking down, "I would be, too, if my sister wanted…separation. Especially after all he's done for me."

"Yes of course, there's room for hurt and guilt. There's always room for that in families," he said straightening himself up. He let go of her shoulders, "but I think you should be careful how you go about this."

"He's my brother, Clopin," she said agitated, "he's not going to kill me because I want to leave him."

"Well, take my word…nothing will stop an over protective brother from protecting his sister if he thinks he knows what's best for her. And that includes protecting her from herself."

"What are you saying?"

"Just…to be careful…he thinks he knows what's best for you. Maybe he does. But, you and I both know that is still for you to decide."

"Well," she said looking down. "Maybe you can…tell me what to do then?" she began to feel a pain pinch her heart again. "Because I don't know how to tell him." She turned around and walked toward the clear lake. "I just…feel trapped. I know he's trying to help me and protect me. He's just trying to keep his promise. But…God, I need more than what he can give me."

"Promise?" he said following her to the lake. At this, she froze. This was not a conversation she was ready to have. His promise was to her parents. She could feel tears stinging her eyes. But how could she lie to him?

"Forget it," she said. "I've got to deal with him on my own. I just have to face him and tell him."

"What will you tell him?" Clopin asked standing next to her. He looked at their reflections in the water. When he turned to look at her, though, he saw the shine of potential tears in her eyes.

She blinked the tears back and sighed. "That I need to stay. That I can't follow him around and he can't…control me any longer. That I have to take care of myself." Clopin rested his hand on her shoulder and for the first time, Anna Maria didn't shrug it away.


	13. A Man and a Monster

**Chapter 13**

**A Man and a Monster**

To Anna Maria's dismay, the room of the inn was empty. Genevieve was gone from the stable and her brothers were nowhere to be found. She looked around the room; their things were still there. It was late afternoon. She imagined they were scavenging for food somewhere. She was going to at first, but she couldn't bring herself to eat anything. All she could think of was her regret. She regretted coming back to the room, she regretted not staying in the court, and she regretted most coming to the room alone.

She realized as she waited for them to come back that Clopin may have been right. She remembered the rage in Antonio's voice at the bar. She remembered how he pushed her. She remembered the night he cornered her and threatened her. She'd never actually challenged him with leaving before. And now that he was losing his grip on her, who knew how dangerously things could escalate.

All of the times Anna Maria had seen Antonio lose his temper flooded to her head. Mostly, it was with strangers who were threatening him. This time, his sister was the threat. She threatened the promise he kept with their parents. Even if Anna Maria didn't remember their parents, she found it impossible to imagine they'd want her to remain unhappy…even if it meant leaving Antonio.

The sound of the door opening made her heart leap. Her stomach filled with butterflies as Georgio walked into the room. She sighed with relief to see he was alone.

"What are you doing here, girl?" he asked her with surprise and anger in his voice.

"Looking for my brother," she said standing.

"He will be here, soon. He's not happy…as you can imagine."

"Well my words need to be with him, not you." She said heading toward the door, "and they need to be now. Where is he?"

"I said he'd be about," Georgio followed her. "If you are so anxious, I can take you to him."

"That may be best." Anna Maria said. He led the way as she nervously followed him.

…

Anna Maria trailed behind Georgio, who kept taunting her with questions and statements of her ungratefulness. Her thoughts of what to say to Antonio tuned him out. Her face felt flush and her heart beat louder and louder as she walked. The beating felt louder than her footsteps against the ground. Georgio stopped as they approached the same tavern she had encountered them in last night.

"Wait here," he said opening the door. "Antonio!" he called inside. Within seconds, a slightly drunk Antonio came outside. At the sight of his sister, his disposition dropped.

"Antonio," she said in a hushed voice, "I need to" she was interrupted as he rushed to her and wrapped his arms tight around her. He embraced her, resting his head on her shoulder.

"I've been worried sick, girl." He said whispering. She embraced him back, feeling less nervous. She half debated having the same conversation as before. Locked in her brother's arms, she remembered how much she cared for him. She recalled countless arguments they had that always ended in his hugging her and forgiving her. Maybe she wouldn't have to have a tense conversation. Maybe this wouldn't be hurtful and dramatic. At his holding her there, hope filled her heart that things may be easier than she imagined.

The hope quickly faded as he let go of her. He suddenly pulled away and grabbed her wrist. He dragged her into an alley behind the bar.

"Antonio, my arm!" she said as he began to walk faster. Suddenly, he stopped and wailed her by her arm into the wall of the alley. She flew into the wall, her head hitting it with a loud thud. She became scared and nervous once more.

"What the hell is in your head?" he exclaimed angrily, but hushed so no one would hear. Anna Maria was woozy from the hit against the alley wall. While she was trying to figure out if Antonio pushed her that hard on purpose or not, he grabbed her by her wrist again. As he came closer, she smelled the alcohol on his breath. "We thought something happened to you! I thought you'd been killed!"

"Antonio, this is absurd." She said yanking her wrist from him. "I need to speak with you. Can we be civilized or are you too drunk!"

"There's nothing to discuss," he said clenching his fists, "this is enough foolishness from you. We are leaving tomorrow. It's time for us to go and get back to normal. So you can say goodbye to your friend. I'm giving you that. But tomorrow is your last day in Paris."

"I'm not going with you!" she yelled. He grabbed her wrist again, twisting it. She let out a hushed yelp at the pain.

"What's going to stop you from coming?" he asked angrily.

"Bonjour!" Clopin said coming behind Antonio. Antonio threw her wrist away. "I heard a fuss," he began, but stopped. "Are you alright, mon ami?" he said as Anna slumped against the wall.

"What did he call you?" Antonio asked in confusion and rage.

"I just hit my head," she said glaring at Antonio.

"I see…" Clopin said, clenching his fists. "…with his help?"

"Stay out of this you gypsy bastard!" Antonio said pushing him aside. Suddenly, Bull and Georgio appeared from around the corner.

"Did I hear gypsy bastard?" Bull asked punching his fist into his hand.

"Now it's a party," Clopin exclaimed making his way back over to Anna.

"What are you doing here?" Anna Maria asked angrily pulling Clopin close to her, "Did you follow me?"

"I was worried, cheri…" He said shoving her hand off of his shoulder, "with good reason."

"Anna Maria," Antonio said enraged, "there is no reason for any of this." He looked over at Clopin. "Is he the reason you are staying? Has he been filling your head with this horse shit?" he said approaching them both. "You screwing him, now?"

"Antonio that is enough!" Anna said pushing Clopin aside and facing her brother, "I made the decision on my own to stay here, and you know that deep down." She took a deep breath, "It's time for us to part, my brother." At this, Antonio made a fist and punched the wall of the alley. His fist planted in a spot right next to Anna Maria's head. She jumped as his fist collided with the brick. He went to punch again, and Clopin caught his hand in front of her.

"Be careful with that brute strength of yours, monsieur." He said throwing Antonio's hand away, "It's not proper to hit a lady even if she is your annoying kid sister."

"Clopin," Anna Maria said pushing him to the side, "stay out of this."

"If he wants to be a part of this, let him. As far as I see, this is his doing." Antonio exclaimed.

"Antonio you know that's not true," Anna Maria yelled facing her brother again, inches from his face. "This is between you and me." She flinched at the sound of a knife being sheathed. The two of them looked over at Bull, who was holding a small blade in his hand.

"As much as I'd like to gut the gypsy myself," Bull said handing Antonio the knife, "it seems like it'd suit you best to do it." Antonio took the knife from Bull, his hands shaking.

"Antonio," Anna Maria whispered in shock. Never had she known her brother to use a knife unless he was threatened. And those who threatened him didn't make it out in one piece. "You've…you've gone mad. There's no need for this. Someone could get hurt." She was fighting back tears once more. Clopin stood carefully and still, keeping his eye on the knife.

"Baby sister, this man has corrupted your head from the start," he said facing Clopin. "If this is what I have to do to make you see…to get through to you," he said pointing the knife toward her, then back at Clopin, "then so be it. But I have to protect you. I promised mother and father. And I have to." He said, his voice shaking.

"Anna Maria," Clopin said pushing her behind him. "Get out of here. I will take care of your brother," the scary, serious tone shook in his voice.

"Clopin this doesn't concern you!" she said pushing him aside with all of her strength. To her surprise, she pushed him hard. He almost stumbled to the ground, but he caught himself. "Get out of here,"

"Stop trying to protect him!" Antonio yelled. He clutched the knife tight and dove for Clopin. Clopin was fast enough to roll to the ground and escape, but Antonio pulled him by his ankle. He stumbled against the wall and fell to the ground. Antonio gathered his weight on top of Clopin, but Clopin knocked the knife from his hand. Anna Maria went to grab the knife, but Bull grasped her wrists. Georgio picked up the knife as Antonio struggled to pin Clopin down.

"Leave this to the boys, princess," he said. Clopin kicked Antonio off of him and leapt up. Georgio threw the knife back to Antonio. He went for Clopin again, who was now against the wall.

"Antonio no!" Anna Maria screamed, running toward her brother as he drew the knife. Clopin jumped out of the way of the knife and shielded her as well. He pushed her aside. Antonio jumped and cornered Clopin. Anna Maria's sights were on the knife as Antonio shoved it toward Clopin's chest.

"Stop!" she screamed, but he kept going. It all seemed to move in slow motion and her mind stirred. She could feel her face growing red hot and her hands and knees shaking. She pushed Clopin down to the ground with all of her strength. She lunged in front of him with seconds to spare as the knife plunged smoothly into her own side. She gasped as a struggled screech came from her mouth. Antonio, panicking, pulled the knife away. She let out another scream as the knife left her side. She grasped at the now bleeding, open wound with her hands as she fell backward.


	14. Innocent Blood

**Author's note: Thanks to everyone who is following and reviewed. I promise I didn't mean to be away so long on a crazy cliff hanger. I started back to school this week (senior year of University) and things have been crazy to say the least. I hate being that person who posts their life story as an excuse as to why they didn't update lately, but I've got most of the story down. It will be a lot of editing and updating from here, so we should get through the rest rather quickly :) but there's still a way to go. Keep reviewing, tell me what you think and I thank you again for your patience. **

**Chapter 14**

**Innocent Blood**

"No!" Clopin cried, rising behind Anna Maria. Her hands quickly began to fill with warm, thick, oozing liquid as Clopin buckled to his knees catching her now dead weight. Her side stung like no physical pain she'd ever felt in her life. Her mind stirred more and blotches of color appeared in front of her eyes. She couldn't move her arms or her legs. Her vision began to cloud and her face felt flush. She looked up and a blurry Clopin was looking down at her.

"What have you done?" Clopin cried, not taking his eyes off of Anna Maria. Her eyes were blinking as she tried to make out his face clearly.

"I wasn't aiming for her!" Antonio panicked as he dropped the bloody knife to the floor. As a group of people began to gather around them, his breath grew heavier and heavier by the second. "Anna, I"

"Antonio, quickly!" Georgrio grabbed him and pulled him atop Genevieve. Bull darted down the street as soldiers appeared on horses. Genevieve was forced to run as quickly as she could, carrying Antonio as he screamed the name of his sister.

Clopin, also panicked by the approaching of soldiers on horseback, scooped Anna Maria up and ran as quickly as he could to the back alley leading to the sewers. "Anna, are you still with me?" he asked panicking.

"You called me Anna?" she chuckled. "That's cute," she suddenly let out a yell as the wound grew worse.

"Keep squeezing that wound, as hard as you can, okay? Don't go to sleep we will be there in moments."

"Where?" she asked weakly, "Finally taking me home?" she laughed, but then coughed a bit of blood coming from her mouth, "everyone can finally rejoice," She winced in pain as she tried to pressure the wound. More blood was coming out. Clopin could feel and hear it dripping to the ground as he ran. Her vision became blurry, and she grew more delirious.

"I need you to stay with me!" he commanded. The sound of his voice began to trail off. A light slapping on her face woke her back momentarily. "Anna," he said. His voice began to echo and trail off again. She heard him swear as they stopped. The blotchiness of the world was now quieting down around her. "Anna please, stay with me!" was the last clear sentence she heard before everything went black.

…

_Antonio! _

_Anna, close your eyes, don't look!_

_A young Anna Maria listened to her brother's instructions as he carried her through the smoke filled house. Her mother and father were nowhere to be found. She disobeyed his instructions for just a second. She could see two people flailing their arms, as flames engulfed them. Those people, to her horrific realization, were her mom and dad. As she cried into his shoulder, she could hear the sounds of the townspeople in the front of their house yelling and screaming. _

_You thieves can go to hell!_

_Antonio took his sister out of the back door of the small house and under the bridge by the lake. _

_Visions of her mother and father screaming, running out of the room coated with flames scared the little girl. She couldn't stop crying. The visions wouldn't go away._

_Anna, you have to stop crying we have to be quiet or they'll get us too. _

_Her brother shushed and cooed, but his sister wouldn't stop. _

_Anna, I'm never going to go anywhere. You're going to be ok. I won't leave you. I'll never let anything happen to you. Stop crying now, you'll be ok. _

_Anna. _

Anna Maria awoke to a sticky and stinging feeling on her side. She blinked her eyes open and looked up. Her vision was blurred. She blinked more to try and make sense of her surroundings. She breathed in shallow, coughing gasps of air. She couldn't bring herself to move, not yet. She tried to close her eyes tightly and opened them back up one more time to clearer surroundings.

"Hello there," a voice next to her said. She went to get up, but the pain in her side sent her falling back to the pillow under her head. "I'd stay still for a while," Clopin said, pulling a blanket over her arms. "Quite a condition you've put yourself in, there." He joked.

"Where am I?" she asked.

"Not the most original question," Clopin teased. "But don't worry about that right now."

"Antonio," she exclaimed shooting up again, but the pain ran through her body like a million needles projecting from the wound in her side.

"Stop that," Clopin said pressing on her shoulders gently, setting her back down. "You'll break the stitching and then we'll be back where we started three days ago."

"Three days," she went to rise, but Clopin grabbed her shoulders.

"You need to rest, mon ami," he said gently placing her back again. "Your wound could have been fatal. I promise you will thank me for this advice. I had to learn the hard way."

"You've," she mustered up the strength to respond, "You've been stabbed?"

"A couple times…" he trailed off. "You get used to the pain. But you need to rest. Don't be a hero, you're safe."

"Did you do this?" she asked.

"Pardon?"

"The stitching," she said pulling the covers up. She could see the black stitching through the white, sheer night dress. "Was this you?" she asked.

"No, no," he said laughing. "Lucky for you, I didn't touch that."

"Where am I, Clopin?" she said growing antsy. "Where's my brother?"

"The one who stabbed you, you mean?" Clopin said grabbing a bowl on the small night stand. It was the room she stayed in before in The Court of Miracles. Reality was coming together piece by piece for her now. "I'm not sure you should be worrying about that." He pulled a spoon from the bowl and shoved it toward her. "Here,"

"What's that?" she asked.

"Medicine; you need it." He said shoving the spoon into her mouth. She gulped the bitter concoction down her throat and coughed. "Tres bonne, it will help."

"Has he tried to look for me?" she asked, her heart beginning to hurt. Yes, she was angry at Antonio. But she could only imagine how much he'd be suffering, thinking he hurt his sister so badly. If it'd been three days, he probably thought she was dead. "Clopin I have to find him," she said trying again to rise from the bed. This time, she felt a tearing in her side. She whimpered; the pain was unreal.

"Woman," Clopin said pulling the covers off, "I told you…" small trickles of blood began to stain the dress, and then poured slowly onto the sheet. "Wait here, please don't move." He said firmly pushing her down onto her pillow one last time. The stinging of her wound reopening forced her to obey. Moments later he came back with a small wooden box.

"Now, you may sit up." He said. He tore a hole in the night dress to expose the now open wound on her side. "Pardon me for peaking, cheri," he laughed. He began to stitch the wound.

"Ow!" she yelled.

"Your fault," he said sticking a string of tweed between his teeth.

"I have to find him," she said wincing as he slowly sewed her wound back together.

"Anna Maria, you need to rest first. I understand you want to find your brother but this could be very fatal if you do not let it heal."

"As soon as it does, I have to leave." She said. She pounded the wall next to her. Clopin offered her his free hand.

"Here," he said, "if it hurts too much, squeeze." She reluctantly grabbed his gloved hand.

"Why are you doing all of this?" she asked.

"What? You didn't expect me to be a decent human being? I know you're a smart mouthed trouble maker but we are still friends,"

"Even after- Ah!" she squeezed his hand. He took the tweed between his teeth and tried to finish up as quickly as he could.

"Anna Maria," he said tying the last bit, "you didn't have to go back with him. You were beginning to find something else here, something that made you happy; a life outside of his."

"You don't get it," she said wincing at the pain. "He's done so much for me."

"You can be thankful for that, but he doesn't own you." He grabbed the hand that was squeezing his with his other hand and cupped them both around hers. "You saved my life," he said looking her dead in the eyes, "but I'm not going to use that as a bargaining chip for you to be attached to my hip. You should do what you want, live your life. I wouldn't do that to you because I care about you."

Anna Maria looked down at his hands holding hers. "Since when?" she asked.

"Since we first met, you little brat." He said trying to hide his agitation.

"He cares about me, too." She said pulling her hand slowly out of his grasp.

"Enough to stab you in the side and almost kill you?"

"He wasn't aiming for me, he was" she stopped. She realized something then; her instincts to run in front of Clopin and stop that knife were internal. She didn't realize until just then how much she actually cared for him; how good and true of a friend he was to her. For her to react that way for him, and against Antonio, he had to be. "He was aiming for you." She looked up at him with tears in her eyes. She didn't let them fall.

"And then," Clopin took hold of her hands again, "you saved my life." He leaned in and kissed her forehead. "You're not some evil street walking troll incapable of caring, or undeserving of it. He's the reason you feel that way." Clopin released her hands and got up. "I won't trouble you anymore," he said looking down at the ground. "Just get some rest." He walked to exit the tent.

"Trouble me," she exclaimed. He looked back at her. "Trouble me as much as you'd like," she said letting the tears fall down. He nodded and smiled before leaving.


	15. Stone Walls

**Chapter 15**

**Stone Walls**

"Antonio, get a hold of yourself!" Georgio said pacing the room. Antonio was bawling with his face covering his hands. He hadn't stopped since the time they'd gotten back to the room.

"We have to look for her!" he exclaimed. "Oh, Maria, I stabbed my baby sister!"

"Antonio!" Georgio walked over to him and pulled his wrists. "You have to pull yourself together. We are going to find her."

"Georgio!" he said pulling him into an embrace. He was shaking. "She could be dead. I could have…killed her." He said. Georgio grabbed Antonio's shoulders.

"We will find her and get the hell out of here! Calm down!" he said shaking him.

"We can't go out there, now. There were soldiers out there." Bull said sitting nervously on the chair.

"The longer we wait," Antonio said through coughing and crying, "the worse she could be. Oh God…" he said pulling his hair.

"Antonio!" Georgio yelled grabbing Antonio's face with his hands, "my brother, we are going to find her. That Gypsy man is crazy about her. She is probably safe."

"Safe on the street with some gypsy!" he said, "Absurd!" he cried.

"He knows witch craft and stuff," Bull said, "he probably healed her by now, Antonio."

"I promise you, brother," Georgio said trying to console him, "we will find her when this settles, and leave this place."

"I just can't sit here waiting, Georgio." He said rising.

"Antonio," Georgio said angrily, "there were police out there. Authorities. You had a knife and she was stabbed. If you go, they could find you. Who knows what good that will do us, then?" Antonio sat back down on the bed and buried his face in his hands.

. . .

Anna Maria woke, again, to slightly blurred vision and pain in her side. She didn't even think about getting up yet. She felt woozy and her head was spinning slightly. She picked herself up slowly, resting her back on her pillow. There was no one in the room this time. She looked over at the medicine sitting at the side of the table. She went to reach for it, but she couldn't yet reach her arm too far without her side hurting her. At this, she just relaxed and decided to wait.

"You're awake, mon ami." Clopin said, entering just in time. "How do you feel?" he asked sitting next to her.

"Like I've been stabbed," she said through a raspy throat. "How long's it been, Clopin?"

"Just a night since we last spoke," he said. Anna Maria motioned to the medicine. "But four days total." He spooned some of the bitter, red liquid to her.

"What is that?" she said grimacing at the taste.

"For the pain, mostly." He said lifting her blanket. She stopped him. "I need to take a look, cheri. Unless you'd like me to get Esmeralda?"

"Oh, no it's…fine." She said feeling guilty. She wasn't sure why she was being defensive. He'd given her nothing but reason to trust him by now. He peaked at the wound through the still ripped night dress she was wearing. He rubbed his fingers over the stitching. She flinched at the touch.

"J'em excuse," he said removing his hand. "It looks alright." He put the blanket back where it was over her.

"How long do I have to stay here, Clopin?" she asked him leaning back.

"Until this is healed properly." He said. "your brother can wait until then." He looked away, mumbling to himself.

"What was that?" she asked puzzled.

"It just…serves him right." He said childishly. "he did this so he can wait until you're better. That's how I see it." Anna Maria kept silent. She wanted to talk to Antonio and at least let him know she was alright. Clopin, obviously, didn't understand her obligations.

"He did stab me…" she said looking down. "but he also is still my blood."

"It's not my business," he said rising from the bed agitated. "but what is my concern is you getting better and right now you can't leave." He paused with an uneasy look on his face.

"I know you want to say something," she said. "And you're entitled to your opinion. But you're wrong about my brother. He made a BIG mistake by stabbing me and trying to stab you, but"

"You call that a mistake?" Clopin asked exasperated by her statement. "A mistake is…" he paced the room searching for something to say, "knocking your favorite book into a puddle or dropping your apple on the ground. This is far beyond that."

"He made a bad choice, then." Anna Maria said rising slightly. "The point is, he is my brother. I've made terrible choices and done bad things, too. I'm sure you have as well! How would you feel if you were in my shoes? What else can I do?"

"Luckily I have no sister. And if I did, I'd never hurt her the way he's hurt you. It goes beyond the stabbing, but that's bad enough on its own. I had to stop him from pulverizing you first."

"Obviously you have no siblings," she said angrily, "because you would know that Antonio would never _pulverize_ me. He punched the wall, not me."

"And you had a head injury from, what; _falling_ into that wall?" Anna Maria paused. She felt her head.

"Head injury?" she asked.

"Yes." He said sitting down on a chair in the tent. "It was minor, but enough to cause some damage…Esmeralda's words, not mine." Anna Maria was silent. She felt angry and embarrassed.

"I still don't expect you to understand this; it is what I have to do."

"Don't worry," Clopin said angrily heading for the exit, "I don't."

…

Esmerelda spied Clopin sitting near the tent Anna Maria was resting in. He was sitting somberly on the ground, tossing a dice around and catching it.

"Is she asleep?" Esmeralda asked approaching him.

"No," he said catching the dice again, "just getting on my nerves."

"What are you talking about?" she said sitting down. Djali, Esmerelda's small, gray goat ran over to Clopin and scooped the dice in his mouth. He swallowed it in one gulp and licked Clopin on the face.

"As if I wasn't aggravated enough," Clopin said shooing the goat away. "it's nothing worth getting worked up over."

"Is that why you're sitting outside of her tent playing games by yourself…" Esmeralda asked patting Djali on the head, "Go in and talk to her."

"I'm worried about her," he said resting his chin on his hand. "but an argument over what's best for her is the last thing she needs right now."

"And you know what's best for her?" Esmeralda asked raising an eyebrow.

"I know going after her brother is a stupid decision."

"I see," Esmeralda said looking down. "Does she want to see him?"

"Yes…even after what he did…and what he tried to do."

"Clopin…" Esmeralda said patting his knee, "I don't think you understand the severity of this for her. He's her brother and, really, all she has. And to just…leave him out there in limbo to believe she may be dead just…isn't right. You don't have brothers or sisters."

"No, but I have people just as close," he said angrily, "and he isn't _all_ she has…not anymore."

"You can be so hard headed," Esmeralda said dryly. "But okay." She offered him a hand to get up. Just as he was getting up, she kicked his ankle, causing him to fall right back on his bottom.

"What the hell?" he said shocked. "This is hardly the time for"

"See…I hurt you. Right?"

"Oh Lord," he said rising and dusting himself off, "is it time for another one of your lessons?"

"When I tripped you, did you just stay quiet on the ground and let it happen?"

Clopin sighed and rolled his eyes, "No Esmeralda I got up off my ass."

"Right," she said.

"I'm also not suffering an intense stab wound to the chest because you tripped me."

"But when you got up, what did you ask me?" she said grinning.

"What the hell?" he said confused. "I don't see"

"Why'd you say that?"

"Because you're losing your mind…" he said rubbing his head.

"Seriously, I'm trying to help." She said. Clopin dropped his hands and let out an agitated grunt.

"I said it because you kicked me out of nowhere and I wanted to know…what the hell!"

"You…" she trailed, motioning him to finish.

"I…was…" Esmerelda waved her hand, "confused?"

"Confused because I tripped you…because I hurt you." Clopin rolled his eyes, but then paused.

"And I didn't expect it." He said looking down at the ground. "And then wanted to know why."

"You're not as dumb as you act, Clopin." She said patting him on the shoulder. "Think about that before you go back in there to make amends." Esmeralda said kissing him on the cheek and squeezing his hand before walking away with Djali.


	16. Something Stronger

**Chapter 16**

**Something Stronger**

"Knock knock," Clopin said entering the tent. Anna Maria was still sleeping when he went in, but stirred awake at the sound of his voice.

"What?" she said realizing it was him.

"Sorry to wake you," he said, "may I come in?"

"Are you done being an ass?" she asked rubbing the back of her head. He swallowed his real answer, and replied with a dry "Yes." He walked in.

"What do you want?" she asked.

"To sit down?" he said. She nodded, so he pulled the chair closer to her.

"Look," he said, "before I start I want you to be aware of how incredibly difficult this is for me to do…especially with you." He said rolling his eyes.

"What?" she said confused.

"A lot's happened the past few days and I NEVER saw myself becoming involved in anything remotely close to what I can't turn away from now." He said looking at her. "You drunkenly stumbled into my life, puked all over it and then brought me some of the worst headaches I've had in a long time."

"I thought you were done being an ass." She said annoyed.

"Just wait," he said pausing, "I realized that what I said before…was a bit…closed minded. As much as it angers me, truly," he said in a serious tone, "that this happened to you, you were right. I don't know what it's like to have family close to me. I don't know what it is to have…what you said…blood. I have people I'd die for, sane doute." He stopped. He placed a hand on hers. "But when it comes to what you and Antonio have…I really don't know how that feels."

"Count yourself lucky," she said turning away.

"No, cheri, that's not the point." He said turning her face back to him. "Your loyalty and ability to forgive him this way is…admirable." He said looking her in the eye, "and it's also something I don't have. I didn't argue with you before to start trouble. I said what I said because I was angry and I was worried."

"Why?" she asked trying to absorb everything he'd said so far.

"You're my friend, Anna Maria." He said laughing. "Like I said…I don't know how that happened exactly. You're just as stubborn as me, and..well for such a rose, those thorns can hurt really bad." He took both of her hands in his. "But your courage is something I've never seen before."

"Courage?" she said taking her hands back. "What do you mean, courage?" She looked down feeling overwhelmed. "I…I drink to forget some of the worst things…things I don't want to cope with. I steal everything I need and want because I'm…" she breathed in deep, "because I'm afraid to fail at..working for it all. And I have to always depend on someone to get me out of trouble. First Antonio and the boys…and when I finally get away from them, I have to be rescued by you."

"But why are you in this mess in the first place, mon ami?" he said waiting for a response. She shrugged. "Because you felt the need to change that; you wanted to come to Paris for something different. Remember? And courage is jumping in front of a knife for some ass that you barely know. Courage is reopening a stab wound to find your brother and talk to him. Maybe you're not the sweetest girl or the friendliest. BUT when push comes to shove, you would risk your life to stay loyal to someone. That is courage, my dear." Anna Maria was blushing and even more overwhelmed than before. This was, truly, the first time someone had not only opened up to her, but said so many good things about her.

"I don't know what to say," she said honestly.

"I think…I do. I am sorry, cheri." He said taking her hands again. "You saved me, so now I will do something for you. Tomorrow, I will go to Antonio. I will find him and tell him you are okay. I will talk to him."

"Clopin, no!" Anna Maria gasped, "you can't. He will kill you. They all will kill you."

"I can handle myself, my dear. Trust me." He laughed. "I can recall ten situations I've been in that were worse and more dangerous than this one. I want to do this for you."

"You don't have to prove anything to me, Clopin," she said worriedly. "But this is a terrible idea."

"No, if this means so much to you I will do it. I am just going to tell him you're alright. And I'll tell him if he truly wants to see you…then he should."

"You want to bring him here, too? Where you live? Clopin, this is not a good idea. Please listen to me. There's a difference between blind faith and stupidity."

"I can handle this, my dear. I promise…I won't let anything happen to you, or to me, or to anyone. All I want to do is let him know you are okay." He kissed her hands and patted her head. "Please don't worry. Don't you want him to know you're okay?"

"I do…" she said, "I just…if I were to see him it'd be different. He wouldn't kill me. But you…"

"Like I said, I can handle myself just fine. I promise."

"Damnit, Clopin don't make me…" she paused. She thought for a moment. "You opened up to me…so…fine. This is hard for me to say Clopin but…I care about you just as much. And I don't want anything to happen to you. If you went there and something happened," she stopped, holding tears in. She took a deep breath, "I'd never forgive myself."

"My friend, I am making you a promise…I give you my word. I will not let anything happen. You have no idea what I'm capable of, cheri. Trust me…I can handle this. I'm honored to do this…for you." He kissed her forehead. "Now it's time for some more rest. I will come see you tomorrow before I leave." Anna Maria nodded, still uneasy about the entire conversation. He squeezed her hand one more time before finally leaving. "Bonne nuit, mon ami."

. . .

_Anna we have to get out of here! A voice was calling to her. She was trapped in that burning house again. This time was different. She was 16. Antonio and her parents were nowhere to be found, but that voice kept telling her to leave. _

_Antonio! She yelled searching through the flames. The heat of the fire pressed her face and arms. She dodged pieces of the house that kept falling apart. _

_Anna we have to get out of here. Finally, she saw her brother at his current age running toward her. She went to grab him, but he ran right past her. She heard the voice calling her again. _

_Anna get out! Close your eyes, don't look, Anna! _

_She followed Antonio, dodging more falling wood. She saw him standing in her parents' bedroom looking down at the floor. _

_Antonio we have to get out of here! She said approaching him. When he turned around, he was holding a torch. She approached him. She screamed in horror at the sight of Clopin, reaching out to her, his body ablaze with fire._

Anna Maria awoke startled and screaming at the nightmare. She gasped for air, covered in sweat. She rose slowly, making sure to be careful with her side. The image of Clopin on fire and dying wouldn't leave her brain. She rubbed her head.

She couldn't let Clopin go to Antonio, tomorrow. Surely this dream was a sign; he may be capable of some great things, but Antonio was capable of some terrible things as well. She stood by her statement; she'd never forgive herself if Antonio, Bull or Georgio did something to Clopin.

She looked across the room at her folded clothes. She slowly and carefully sat upward. She spent ten minutes rising, being extra careful of her side. It still hurt, but it wasn't splitting or tearing when she moved. She took the bowl of medicine and forced down two spoon fulls of the gross concoction.

She carefully changed into her clothes. She wasn't sure what time it was, but it couldn't be late at all. She grabbed her shawl, and her sash. All she had to do was find Antonio herself before Clopin could get to him. She was absolutely sure Antonio had been brought to his senses by now. Maybe he was behaving out of character lately, but she knew him. He had to listen to her now.

She made her way quietly out of her tent. To her fortune, no one was around. It looked like no one was awake. Forcing herself through the pain of walking, she carefully and slowly made her way to the entrance of the Court of Miracles. She climbed the steps to the sewer.

When she finally reached the doorway, she was barely able to push it open. Fighting through the pain in her side, she pushed with all of the strength she could muster and got the doorway out of the sewer open. She carefully climbed up the stairway and closed the door to the court.

To her dismay, it was much colder than the mild weather Paris had been experiencing before. She tightly wrapped her shawl around herself. Holding her side, she made her way toward the bridge on a mission to find Antonio.


	17. The Very Eyes of Notre Dame

**Author's Note: This chapter tends to jump from one scene to another, I hope it doesn't confuse anyone. If ya'll have any tips on how to subtly change scenes when you're doing it often, I'd love some advice. Thanks again for reading! :)**

**Chapter 17**

**The Very Eyes of Notre Dame**

Antonio had been drinking nonstop since he stabbed Anna Maria. He couldn't bring himself to face the reality that he may have killed his baby sister. He was roaming through the town at a very early time in the morning, slightly drunk.

He was never one for crying or expressing much emotion. Up until the past few days, things in his life were simple and care free. Suddenly, they'd gone from that to complicated, dramatic and scary. What was his sister thinking? He cared about her so much more than she could begin to imagine. Thinking about how much she questioned that made him so angry and bitter. And now, she was at the mercy of a gypsy. She was with the man who caused all of their pain, and not her own brother.

He wandered into the square and saw the enormous cathedral. He wasn't much for religion or sacrament, but the church was very impressive. It towered over the city, convicting onlookers and passersby with the overwhelming feeling of guilt and obedience, but it looked beautiful nonetheless. In his drunken stupor, Antonio decided to enter the cathedral on his own.

Anna Maria clutched her side as snow began to fall in small flakes to the ground. She took a moment to wrap her shawl tightly around her shoulders to keep out the chill. She was approaching the inn. She could see it over the bridge. She wasn't exactly sure if her brothers would be there or not. She gripped her side, again, and began to cross the bridge.

The entire time she walked, she paid close attention to feel the wound on her side. Half the time, the pain she felt was the sensation of ripping, but it hadn't ripped. She remembered the excruciating pain it made when she sat up and tore it back open. She shook at the thought of this and the winter wind encircling her. It was the kind of wind that seeped into every open crevice of clothing and chilled the bones. She could already feel herself becoming exhausted. Whether her brothers were at the inn or not, rest was in order.

She stepped down from the bridge and looked at the stable. Genevieve wasn't there. It was likely they weren't, either. Regardless, she went to the inn to try to get into their room.

"Clopin, have you seen Anna Maria?" Esmeralda asked entering Clopin's tent in a panic.

"She was just in her room last night," Clopin said stirring from his slumber. He stretched his arms outward. "Did you check on her?"

"Yes," Esmeralda said angrily, "I wanted to check her side, but she's gone. Her clothes are gone and her stuff is gone."

"What?" Clopin asked rising from his mess of blankets and pillows on the floor. He jumped up and lead Esmeralda over to the tent he'd just left Anna Maria in that night. When they entered the tent, Esmeralda's words had rung true. The blanket was folded, the night dress was folded with the stain of blood from when she'd ripped her side back open, the medicine was close to gone and Anna Maria wasn't there.

"Clopin, it's begun to snow!" Esmeralda said, panic in her voice. "And those stitches are only four or five days healed.

"Technically two days…" Clopin said clenching his fists. "She broke them back open to try and get up, I had to stitch them back together."

"Oh my God…" Esmeralda put a hand to her head. "What was she thinking?"

"It's my fault," Clopin said looking down.

"I'm sure that's not true…" Esmeralda said.

"I'm going to find her." Clopin said leaving immediately.

Anna Maria collapsed on the bed of the dark, empty room. Her brothers weren't there. None of their belongings had been there, either. The inn keeper told her he hadn't seen them for almost a whole day. She wondered if they finally just…left. She wouldn't blame them, she supposed. After all, it'd been four days. What was left for her brother here in this city had she been dead? It was only right to assume she had died.

She blinked the tears from her eyes. This was it, then. Antonio thought she was dead, so he left her in Paris to die. It wasn't at all what she'd originally planned. But the goal was succeeded. She was free. More tears fell as she thought of her brother, screaming her name as he rode away on the horse that day_. Did he even miss me?_ She wondered…

She remembered the words of Bull and Georgio when they all ran past the bridge. How much of a burden was a woman who wanted to do the opposite of all they had planned? She imagined she burdened them quite a bit; the drinking, the running off, the angst and complaining. But still, she provided them with so much money. Without her, they couldn't afford half the luxuries and good times they spent together. And boy, did they have good times. Even if things were too much to bear at times, other times were splendid. And she loved her brothers.

Anna Maria buried her face into the bed as she sobbed. Was this freedom? Was losing the people close to you and forsaking your own blood worth it? Could the cost of a life free from the burdens she once suffered be too much? She had no idea this hurt would be worse than the very stab wound that caused the entire mess.

Antonio stumbled through the church. It was still very early and no one seemed to be about. The church was dark still and very cold. Antonio had only been in a church twice in his life. His parents had him baptized when he was very young. Their lives of thieving and conning ended the minute they had children, so baptism of their first born was very important to them. He barely remembered the event himself. But he remembered Anna's baptism vividly.

As he continued walking, he entered a hallway filled with statues. Saints, Angels, the virgin mother, countless faces all were staring down at him as he walked. He remembered these faces from Anna's baptism. He remembered the little baby, all in white, bouncing in his beautiful mother's lap the day of the big event. He was excited, she was excited, their father was brought to tears. _A new life_ he probably thought. _A new life for his children and his wife; we could start new. We could belong somewhere. _

Anger consumed Antonio's heart. They couldn't start new. They couldn't belong. The people of that tiny city would be sure of that, wouldn't they? He fell to his knees and buried his face in his hands. They'd taken away his sister now, too. He had taken her away. He had killed her.

Georgio and Bull were standing at a distance from Antonio. They were half confused, but still had an idea of the pain their dear friend was suffering. As much assuring as they'd done to persuade him, the reality lingered; Anna was four days gone and had been stabbed in the side. More than likely, she was as good as dead. When Antonio came down from the rum, they had to get him out of this city. He had to move on without his sister; they had to move on without their sister. Anna Maria had to be left in this city and all the pain she caused them.


	18. A Gypsy's Prayer

**A Gypsy's Prayer **

Antonio had nothing left to do; he had no options but the ones his parents had left him since the day he was born. He lowered his head to the floor and stretched his hands over his head.

"Is he praying?" Georgio asked confused.

"I only seen him do it once," Bull said in shock.

Antonio prayed the only way he knew how to. He prayed for his sister.

"If she is alive," he whispered, "then let her be safe here. Let me find her. Don't let it be too long until I find her and we can leave this place," he began to sob. "But if she is dead…Lord give me a sign. Let me know if she is alive or dead, please. I never ask for anything but just this…this one thing I ask of you. Is my sister alright?" Bull and Georgio approached Antonio to pull him off the ground. But he stayed there, praying the same requests.

Anna Maria was now traveling through the square. What was merely an hour of walking seemed like days to her. She was so tired and cold, and the pain in her side was incredible. But she needed to explore every option she knew of. The boys were nowhere in any of the pubs, nor had they been seen. She checked the shops, which were only just opening. She checked the alleys. Everywhere she could think of, she checked.

As the sun began to rise, still hidden by dark clouds, the bells of Notre Dame began to chime their colorful, changing music. The chimes filled her heart with longing; she wanted nothing more than to find Antonio. That's all she wanted. At this point, she didn't even care if she were to die afterward. She just wanted to find him. The chill and the wind were too much for her with the wound in her side. She walked carefully over to the cathedral, as the chiming and glorious song of the ritual bells lead her to rest.

As Antonio rose from the ground, Bull and Georgio tried to convince him that it was time to go.

"Not without Anna." He said wiping his face, "I have to know she is alive."

"She is alive," said a voice behind them. Wrapped in a dark cloak, a tall, lanky figure emerged from the shadows of the cathedral. The brothers turned around, not knowing who it was at first. When he lowered his cloak, they all burned with anger at the face they laid eyes upon.

"You…" Antonio whispered, still on his knees.

"Your sister is alright," Clopin said carefully approaching the three men. "She is alive and she is well," he lied, not exactly knowing where Anna was. He was hoping he'd find her with them. His heart sank knowing she could be out in the cold alone, even wounded.

"No thanks to you…" Antonio said rising, his eyes locked on the gypsy man.

"Antonio, I only come to speak with you. You wanted to know if your sister was alive. She is alive."

"I want her out of this city…away from the likes of you. Where is she?"

"Antonio, she is safe I can assure you."

"Tell me where," he said approaching Clopin, "or I will finish what I started the other night." The rage inside Clopin's chest to say something awful to him was so close to coming free through his lips. He could taste it. This fool, however, was his friend's dear brother. He was drunk, confused, scared and enraged. He searched deep for the forgiveness and compassion she had showed him. He took in a deep breath.

"Antonio, Anna Maria wants you to go on. She thinks it is better for you both this way," Clopin felt a hard pounding to his face and he fell backward. He rose back up, tasting the coppery blood that protruded from his cheek. "I don't want to fight you. I merely want to help."

"You can help," Antonio said, "by holding still while I"

"Antonio!" screamed a voice Antonio thought he would never hear again in this life time. He looked to his left, to see his sister standing in the hallway. She was weak looking, and slightly thinner than before. She was wrapped in her blue shawl and looked as if she'd been crying. He turned toward her, tears filling his eyes.

"Anna," he whispered. "Is it you?"

"Antonio it's me," she choked, trying to hold back tears still. "I'm fine, Clopin was right." Antonio ran to his sister and embraced her again. She went to embrace him, naturally. Her side stung her, though, causing her to flinch. Antonio looked down at her clutching her side. He fell to his knees and began to cry again. He hugged his sister's waist.

"I'm so sorry, Anna. I didn't mean to…"

"I know you didn't," she said stroking his head. "But you meant to stab my dear friend, standing over there. Antonio that's not right. What would mother and father say to you right now?" Antonio was quiet. He looked up at his sister. The look of compassion was gone. A look of pure confusion and anger had taken hold of him. That mixed with the smell of liquor on his breath scared Anna Maria. She stayed still, though.

"You are defending him?" Antonio said looking up at her, one last tear rolling from his eye and down his cheek. "You dare to defend him? Mother and father would be proud. I am protecting you."

"From what, Antonio?" she said putting her hands on his shoulders and looking into his eyes. "From breaking the promise you made? Antonio, you've kept that promise. But now you don't have to look after me. I'm not a child."

"I do have to," he said rising. "This man has tricked you. He has you fooled." He rose to his feet. She grabbed his hands and squeezed them in hers.

"I'm NOT a child, Antonio. For the last time, I made this decision on my own. I would have made it whether I met Clopin or not." She looked over at Clopin, who was staring intently at her with a look of compassion and fear in his eyes; a mixture she wasn't used to. "You should be thanking him, Antonio. He's helped me. And now…" tears rolled down her face, "it's time for you to leave me be."

Antonio stood there for a moment, quietly looking down at the floor of the cathedral. He dropped his sister's hands. He turned from her to walk away. Suddenly, he began advancing toward Clopin and tackled him to the ground.

"Antonio, no!" Anna screamed. Even Bull and Georgio stood back. Antonio had released a violent attack of rolling, punching and clawing onto Clopin. Luckily, Clopin escaped most of it by pinning Antonio back. The two wrestled on the ground. Clopin was much stronger than Antonio and managed to keep pinning him, but Antonio's rage was overpowering as well.

"Anna stay over there!" Clopin screamed through growls and breaths. He didn't want her to get hurt again. Suddenly, Antonio pinned Clopin down. He used his elbows to hold down Clopin's arms. Within seconds, he wrapped his hands around Clopin's neck and began choking him.

"Antonio, stop!" Anna screamed through a cracking, raspy voice. She ran over to them, not paying attention to the pain in her side. She fell to the floor and used all of her strength to pull Antonio's hands from Clopin's throat. She simply wasn't strong enough to do it. Antonio grew agitated enough to let one hand go from Clopin's throat and shove his sister aside. She flew back from them and landed onto the ground. She looked down at her side, feeling intense pain. Once again, it had split open.

Antonio held Clopin down still, as he was weakening from lack of air. He coughed as much air as he could gain into his windpipe. No amount of coughing was quite, enough however. Antonio pulled another knife out of his sash and aimed it for Clopin's neck. At the sight of the knife, Clopin reached his leg up with enough strength he could muster and kicked Antonio's head. The knife swooped down in his hand and tore the shoulder of Clopin's tunic, leaving a bloody slice on his shoulder.

Clopin took this opportunity to pin Antonio back down and tried to grab the knife. Antonio, however, wrestled the knife toward Clopin's chest. As they wrestled the knife from each other, Clopin kicked Antonio's knee. Antonio screamed and his grip on the knife slipped. Before Clopin could stop himself from falling, he collapsed from dizziness and pain on top of Antonio. When he rose, the knife was sticking out of Antonio's chest.

"Antonio," Anna Maria whispered through tears as her brother painfully gasped in coughs of air. He was struggling to keep life. Ignoring her bleeding side, Anna Maria ran over to him. Clopin rose, blood covering his stomach; Antonio's blood. Georgio and Bull went for Clopin, but Anna Maria stood up enraged.

"Stop it!" she screamed, her voice echoing through the cathedral. "Look what you've done already!" she said as her voice shook and tears ran from her eyes. She looked at Clopin, then at the other two. "Both of you leave…" she said in a hushed, almost whispered tone. "Go and never see me again. Or I will kill you myself." The two of them controlled their rage and slowly left the hallway. Seconds later, the cathedral doors slammed as well.

"Anna," her brother gurgled. She lowered herself to him and squeezed his hand. He shakily reached his hand to her face and took one last look at his beautiful baby sister. "I broke my…promise…" he said as blood trickled from the side of his lip. Tears flooded down Anna Maria's cheek. "I'm…sorry…" he managed to choke out these last few words before his hand fell from her face. His body limped as he died.

Anna Maria dropped onto her brother's chest and began to sob. Blood was on her hands and on her face. She couldn't even bring herself to touch him or hold him any longer. She backed away from him and sat against the wall, burying her face in her hands. The tears and blood mixed together in her palms, but she didn't care. She began to shake and hiccup, repeating to herself a mixture of words beyond understanding.

Clopin noticed the blood was seeping faster and faster through her dress. He kneeled beside Anna Maria and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. She continued to sob as he pulled her into an embrace. He didn't know what else he could do until the next few moments passed. He held her tighter as she buried her face into his chest, practically collapsing onto him and passing out. He scooped her up in his arms and carried her out of the cathedral. There was no sign of Bull or Georgio anywhere.


	19. The Rich and the Ritual Knells

**Author's Note: I am currently working on a sequel in my spare time. I said this about a previous story and never revisited, and I know it disappointed a lot of people. BUT I promise I will not publish anything until I am fully intending on finishing. That is, if anyone out there even thinks this story I wrote is worth a sequel? Well, thank you all again for reading, and for those of you who've given me great and helpful feedback, and more reviews are much appreciated. You've all been great :)**

**Chapter 19**

**The Rich and Ritual Knells**

Anna Maria sat on the side of the cot, facing the wall of the tent. Even though a month had passed since her brother's death, the sting of his passing still haunted her. She kept awake at night convincing herself that Antonio was a madman before he died, and Clopin had no choice but to try and stop him. She told herself over and over that Clopin's falling into Antonio's chest was purely accidental. Clopin had given her no reason not to trust him. After everything, though, she still had so many questions and uncontrollable doubts.

Clopin entered her tent quietly. This was very normal of her for the past month. She often times walked aimlessly through the court or the square. Occasionally, he would find her off to the side, listening intently to his stories he told the children. The rest of her time was spent here in the tent sulking and thinking. The people of the court found it appropriate to give her brother and his body a ceremony for his death. Clopin was against it, but Esmeralda insisted they'd do it for Anna Maria. Esmeralda also convinced Clopin that space was vital for her. Coddling her, bothering her, hitting on her, joking with her…none of that was allowed. This was probably best for him, too. He was still trying to get over the fact that he had killed her brother.

Today, though, was different. Anna Maria was locked away in her tent for the past three days. She hadn't come out to eat and refused the food Esmeralda and the other women of the court offered her. She was pale and dismal. Confronting the risks head on, Clopin sat down next to her on her cot. She didn't stir or flinch. He was quiet for a moment. He wasn't sure what to say. Instead of saying anything, he simply placed a hand on the back of her shoulder.

"You should come eat something, mon ami." He said softly. She shook her head. After a few minutes of silence, she finally spoke.

"I miss him, Clopin. I have so many questions for him…things I never bothered to ask. I was too drunk…too busy to care about the things that haunted my mind when I was sober." He could hear shaking in her voice. "I can't sleep because those questions haunt me. I can't eat. And worst of all…I can't even look anyone in the eye…including myself." She bent her back forward and rested her head in her hands, her elbows setting on her knees. He patted her back.

"There, there, cheri." He said rubbing her back. "This is normal. You're not going through anything that anyone here hasn't."

"But I feel as if sitting here, being here for the rest of my life won't fix it." She said getting up. "I don't know…a month ago I thought being in Paris was the best thing for me. A fresh start, people who would really believe in me; now I'm…questioning that."

"You are?" he asked, fearing the outcome of this conversation. She took his hands in hers.

"You've done so much for me, my friend." She said looking him in the eyes. "And I am grateful for that." Tears were forming in hers. "But…I think I must leave. Just for a short while." Clopin, immediately wanted to protest. There was no way she could be on her own, only a month after what'd happened. He knew in his heart this was a terrible, terrible idea and he wanted to fight her. But he swallowed all of that and patted her shoulder.

"I would hate to see you go, cheri." He said reaching his hand to her face. "You are a dear friend. But…you are young. There's much for you to learn." He rose from the cot and sighed, looking back at her. "But the Court of Miracles will welcome you back, no matter what happens." At this, he began to leave. But Anna Maria rushed over to him and pulled him quickly to an embrace. She squeezed her arms around him and rested her chin on his shoulder.

Clopin wrapped his arms around hers and squeezed her back. Never in a million years did he think the same woman he picked up off the street just months before would have so much of a lasting affect…not only on him, but his entire court and, even, on all of Paris. After minutes of hugging, they finally let go. Anna Maria went to gather her things. Clopin left.

The next morning, a group of people woke early with Anna Maria to bid her goodbye. Esmeralda, Pheobus and Zephyr all hugged her. Esmeralda, with tears in her eyes, stayed to embrace her one last time before she left. Anna Maria promised herself the night before she would not cry. Esmeralda then pulled a small necklace with a woven oval attached.

"No matter how long you're gone," she said placing the necklace around Anna Maria's neck, "you always have a place to stay in Paris. Be well, my dear Anna Maria." She said patting her cheek. Anna Maria hugged her one last time. After everyone else's goodbyes had commenced, it was Clopin's turn.

Anna Maria embraced him one last time. As they pulled apart, he looked down at her. It was hard to believe she had to leave so suddenly. He, too, pulled something from his pocket. Everyone around them was shocked.

"I don't normally do things like this," he smiled grabbing her hand, "but little brats like you can leave a mark on people like me…whether I like it or not." He closed something into her hands, and then let them go. She took it and shoved it into her sash. She would reveal it to herself later. He smiled at this. She reached up and kissed him on the cheek.

"Goodbye my friend," she said squeezing his hand. With this last goodbye, she began to leave. She walked past the sewage, up the stairs and opened the doors above her. As she reached up, she felt the tiniest pain in her side. The pain washed a wave of unpleasant nostalgia back to her. It was at this that she realized she was doing exactly the right thing. Though she planned on coming back, leaving Paris was the best thing for her right now.

She closed the doors to the sewer one last time. She wasn't exactly sure which way to go, but she remembered all of her brothers' tricks of traveling. She walked past the inn. She wondered if Bull and Georgio were still there. Suddenly, the sight of a very sad and weak looking Genevieve caused her to stop.

"Genevieve," she whispered as the horse's mood lifted at the sight of her. She pulled an apple from her bag and gave it to the horse. She ate it eagerly and licked her on the face. Anna Maria looked at the inn, and then back at Genevieve.

In seconds, Anna Maria had Genevieve free from the rope. She motioned for Genevieve to be quiet. She wasn't sure if Bull and Georgio were still there. She highly doubted it, in fact. But just in case, she was quiet as she boarded Genevieve's back and directed her past the square.

As Genevieve and Anna Maria set out on their journey, the bells of the Cathedral of Notre Dame chimed. Tears formed in her eyes as she let the sounds entrance her and lead her on her way. She knew, though, as the sounds grew farther and farther, it wouldn't be the last she heard of those bells.


End file.
